Sly Cooper: Thief of the Family

by TJSchicktl

Years after escaping Ancient Egypt, Sly and Carmelita get married and have twins. The retired master thief pursues a career as a bounty hunter, while trying to balance his work and family life. In this story, he encounters an old enemy of his father, who comes from another dimension. Can the Cooper gang finish this ancient foe?

8. The Thieves of Egypt

Disclaimer: I do not own Sly Cooper or any of its characters. Sly Cooper is owned by Sucker Punch, Sony, and Sanzaru Games.
I recently got into the Sly Cooper franchise and decided to write my own fanfiction of his life after escaping Ancient Egypt. Hope you enjoy it. Rate and review.
Author's note: Shout out to VTNVIVI, as his video "Clockwerk Theory Part 3: Betrayal" inspired this episode.
https/youtu.be/4SwakdKGTuI

This is the longest, I know, but I had to make sure that this one had more care than 4-6, if nothing else. It doesn't help that I'm writing this with an Android.

(Sly's voice)

Hey everyone! Remember when I said I'd cover how I got out of Ancient Egypt? Sorry it took so long, but it takes a whole episode to cover it, plus there's spoilers. The "main baddy", if you will. Anyway, my time there was the most emotionally trying ordeal I've ever had. Wondering if and how I'd get back to my own time. Back to my gang. Back to . . . Carmelita. Without further ado, here's what happened.

Paris: Six months after La Paradox

Bentley wheeled over to The Thievius Raccoonus. He tried every other means of finding out where and when Sly was. He tried figuring out what the postcards Penelope sent him meant. He figured they might be clues to where he was, but how would she know? He tried figuring out what she stole from those locations, but they were erased from their inventory. It was a longshot, but he had to see if maybe Sly left something in his family book, despite the consequences it could hold for the timeline.

He figured he'd start from the beginning, when Slytunkhamen started the book. Reading through it, he saw a peculiar statement and a drawing of a golden figurine. The message read "the dry air of Egypt is no place for an asthmatic turtle," and the figurine was of Carmelita dressed like Hathor, the goddess of love, with the Cooper logo at the base. The page also contained a map to what could be considered the first Cooper vault. His eyes widened behind his glasses. He couldn't believe it. The answer to Sly's location was right under his nose. He didn't hesitate to call Murray and Carmelita. At long last, his best friend, his brother, was coming back home.

Sly Cooper and the Gang in: The Thieves of Egypt

Ancient Egypt Circa 1321 B.C.

Day 1

Sly had awakened to find himself in the middle of a vast desert, not sure of how long he was out for. He reached for his cane, slowly getting up and putting his hand to his head as it was in mild pain. The blimp, as well as the time machine, was scattered everywhere. That's when he saw it. From a large distance, he saw what looked like the temple of Anubis. He realized he was stuck in Ancient Egypt.

Sly looked around to see if he could find any food or water among the remains of the blimp, but there was nothing. It didn't help that he was thirsty. However, he saw something out of place. Somehow, a tape recorder had survived the wreckage. Something compelled him to grab it and see that the tape inside was "Wherever You Will Go" by The Calling. He put it in his bag and walked towards the temple.

The distance seemed shorter from his previous location, and it didn't help that the sandy dune was hard to walk through. After he was a little over halfway there, he collapsed. The dehydration got the better of him. He saw what looked like a giant eagle-owl slowly descend to him. When the great bird landed, Sly was only able to mutter one word before passing out. "Clockwerk." The owl looked confused at what the raccoon thief said.

The great owl looked at Sly, seeing something familiar from his features. He looked like his best friend and partner in crime. He grabbed the raccoon and flew off to take him to safety as the sun was setting. "He has such weird clothes," he said to himself.

As night began to fall, he flew to a house on the outskirts of Egypt, waiting by the door. A raccoon male walked out the door. It was Slytunkhamen I, in his usual gear. "Werkahnamen," said Slytunkhamen. "What brings you here, my friend?"

"I found this one near the temple of Anubis," said Werkahnamen. "It looks like he's going to die of thirst."

"I see," said Slytunkhamen. "But why bring him here?"

"He looks…familiar. Like he could be related to you."

"Because he's a raccoon," Slytunkhamen asked with one eyebrow raised.

"No. Just…just look at him."

Slytunkhamen walked closer to them, examining the passed out thief. He looked back up at Werkahnamen and nodded. "I see. Well, I'll try to nurse him back to health. Good job, my friend."

"Anyway," said Werkahnamen. "Are we still up to that job tomorrow?"

"Indeed we are, my friend. I think it's time our dear pharaoh should be a little more giving." Slytunkhamen smirked.

Werkahnamen chuckled. "Indeed. Overtaxing the people. The nerve." He sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow, my friend."

"Indeed," he nodded. "When the moon and stars shine."

"I shall return to your secret chamber. Say hi to your wife for me." Werkahnamen said before he flew away.

"May the gods bless you on your flight!" Slytunkhamen called out.

He grabbed Sly and placed him on some padding on the floor. He slowly poured some water in his mouth, treating his dehydration. He left a cup of water next to him before retiring to his bed.

——————————————————

Sly was walking to a park in Paris, where Bentley told him Carmelita would be. He saw her sitting on a bench, seemingly by herself. He ran over to her, a smile on his face. "Carmelita," he called out to her. She turned her attention to the raccoon, a look of surprise on her face. "Sly?" She stood up and the thief hugged her tight. She slowly hugged back. He pulled away so they could make eye contact.

"Carmelita, it's so good to see you." He smiled.

"Where were you?"

"I was in Ancient Egypt. Bentley found me." He took a deep breath. "Carmelita, I'm sorry for what I did. But you should know that -"

"I know," said Carmelita, cutting him off. "You faked amnesia so you could be with me, and you stole that artifact to save the future."

"I promise, I'll make it up to you."

Carmelita looked away, as if she were uncomfortable. "Sly…there's something I should tell you."

"What is it, babe?" Sly asked, looking puzzled.

A male fox walked over to them, accompanied by two children. A boy and a girl. "Hey honey," he said, kissing her cheek. "Who is this?"

"Javier, this is Sly Cooper. Sly, this is my husband, Javier, and my children Juan and Maria." Carmelita said.

"Husband? Children?" Sly was both confused and heartbroken.

"Wait," said Javier. "Is this the ex boyfriend you were talking about?"

Carmelita nodded, looking awkward.

"Ex boyfriend?!" Sly exclaimed.

"What did you expect," asked Javier. "You've been gone for ten years after you lied to her!"

"Javier," said Carmelita, putting her hand on Javier as if she was trying to defuse the tension."

"You've got a lot of nerve showing your face after everything you put her through!" Javier said. "She was better off without you."

Those last words echoed as the feeling of heartache sank in.

——————————————————

Day 2

Sly woke up the next morning as cold sweat had soaked his fur. He took a moment to process everything. He looked at his surroundings, wondering how he got into the house he was in. He saw the cup of water and drank it. He had to find his ancestor, but he knew he had to blend in, so he went through the house and put on a white khat and shenti. He grabbed his cane and left the house to search for his ancestor, heading towards the city.

As he explored the city, he kept looking around to see if he could catch a glimpse of Slytunkhamen. He only knew of how he was depicted in The Thievius Raccoonus. However, he realized that he would likely be in disguise, and it didn't help that the streets were flooded with people.

He remembered that Slytunkhamen spent most of his time hiding in a vase, so he'd look inside as many as he could find in the city. After a few minutes of searching, he heard his stomach growl. He wasn't sure how long it has been since he's eaten something, but it was probably around the time of La Paradox. He walked to a bazaar, searching for a thieving opportunity. He would only steal from other thieves, but he was wondering if he must break his code of honor so he wouldn't starve to death. Suddenly, he saw a dirty looking jackal steal an apple while the merchant wasn't looking. It would seem that Sly could steal for survival with a clear conscience. He walked over the jackal, and bumped into him. After he was far away enough, he grabbed the apple the other thief had stolen, and took a bite, savoring the mouthwatering goodness.

After eating the apple, he could continue checking every vase in the city. The process took him all day. He was wasting energy and getting nowhere. He began to think he might've gone too far back or too far up. The sun was setting, and he remembered what his father told him. He told him to only move at night. Perhaps his ancestor had the same policy. He also remembered that Slytunkhamen robbed corrupt pharaohs and noble people. So, he decided to find the pharaoh's palace, where he'd wait and see.

Sly waited outside the palace, waiting to see if his ancestor was going to pull a heist on the king himself. As he waited for hours, he thought about how Bentley might've helped him track down his anc sooner, especially by tracking his DNA, like he did with Salim Al-Kupar. Then he thought of Murray, and how he would have driven them around instead of him walking all over Egypt. After that, he finally thought of Carmelita, and their final moment before he fought La Paradox. Suddenly, he saw a raccoon jump out the window of the palace, got up, and followed him.

Slytunkhamen was running along stone walls and jumping rooftops, as Sly was trying to keep up from a distance. On his way to his hideout, he was cut off by a female raccoon wearing feminine armour and had black, braided hair at shoulder length. "Thief," she shouted. Slytunkhamen stopped before smirking at the royal guard who stood before him.

"Nefertana, my lovely desert flower," said Slytunkhamen, flirting.

"Well well well," said Nefertana. "If it isn't the notorious thief, Slytunkhamen of the house of Koophar."

"The one and only," he smirked.

Sly watched the two from a distance, smirking as he remembered all his rendezvous with Carmelita.

"It's lovely to see you, as always." Slytunkhamen said.

"It'll be nice to see you in the quarries," Nefertana retorted. "That's if the pharaoh doesn't have your head."

"I bet you'd like to see my head on a wall."

"It would be a trophy for catching you."

Slytunkhamen chuckled, smirking. "At least you'd see my face everytime you woke up and before retiring to your quarters."

Nefertana rolled her eyes. "A small price to pay for putting an end to your crime spree."

"It was nice seeing you, my dear, but I have a prior engagement." Slytunkhamen said before running away.

Sly was trying to keep up with his ancestor as he was jumping on rooftops to avoid the arrows Nefertana was shooting at him. After he was far enough, he leaned against a wall and turned invisible. Sly was able to see this while hiding from the two. Nefertana jumped down to the area, looking around for any sign of the Egyptian thief. She growled to herself. "You can't run forever, Koophar!" She turned to run back to the palace. Sly walked over to where Slytunkhamen was hiding, who was still invisible.

"Alright," he said, smirking. "The coast is clear."

Slytunkhamen got out of his invisibility, shocked that Sly saw him. "What? How'd you? Who are you?"

"It's a long story," said Sly. "My name is Sly Cooper. I'm your descendant from over 3,000 years in the future."

Slytunkhamen was silent at first, but started laughing. "Very funny, my boy!" He stopped laughing enough to get serious. "But seriously, who are you?"

"Look, you used invisibility, which can be found in The Thievius Raccoonus. A book to account for our legacy. The legacy of the Coopers."

"You mean, the house of Koophar? I do not know this…'Cooper' name you speak of."

"That's probably because there are various versions of my name, like my other ancestor, Salim Al-Kupar."

"Salim," asked Slytunkhamen. "That sounds Semitic or Arabic."

"Our legacy is world wide, my friend."

"Wait a second," Slytunkhamen said, narrowing his eyes. "Aren't you the raccoon my friend rescued?"

"Wait," said Sly. "That was your house?"

"Yes," Slytunkhamen answered, crossing his arms. "I thought I recognized those clothes."

"I was gonna give it back, but I had to blend in to find you."

"Ah, yes. Those rags looked weird," said Slytunkhamen, still crossing his arms. "If you're really a member of my house, then prove it. Surely, you can use the same invisibility technique I have."

Sly nodded, turning invisible before Slytunkhamen's very eyes. He couldn't believe it. He jumped when Sly tapped his shoulder from behind him as his descendant smirked after turning visible again. "Believe me now?"

"Impossible," Slytunkhamen exclaimed. "Even I cannot move and maintain my camouflage!"

"Your technique eventually gets perfected," said Sly.

"By the gods, it's true. You really are of my lineage. Wait, 3,000 years? The tradition of Koophar lasts that long? Amazing." He suddenly looked like he just remembered something. "We'll talk more later. Wait at my house. I have some things to attend to."

"Like," Sly asked.

"No time," said Slytunkhamen, before running off. "Wait for me there!"

Sly shrugged, but did as he asked. It was a good thing he remembered his ancestor's house, even though it was already night time. He had good night vision, especially from years of theft at night.

Meanwhile, Slytunkhamen met up with Werkahnamen at the city wall. "You're late," he said.

"Apologies, my friend." Slytunkhamen said, bowing to his partner. "The raccoon you have brought to me woke up. He caught me running from Nefertana."

Werkahnamen chuckled. "I see. Well, I'm glad he's in good health. What did you get from the pharaoh?"

Slytunkhamen grabbed a blue, crystal cube from his bag and handed it over to the great owl. The gem had marki on it that seemed alien. "I'm not sure what it's supposed to be, but ol' pharaoh was obsessed with it. He said to himself that it was 'precious' to him."

Werkahnamen raised a brow. "Precious? That thing?"

"I didn't have time to ask him why," Slytunkhamen said, smirking at his snarky comment with both arms crossed.

"Very funny," said Werkahnamen. "Now, I think I should take this back to your secret chambers."

"Agreed," said Slytunkhamen, tossing the cube towards the owl. "May the gods bless you on your flight, Werkahnamen of clan Hoophar."

The owl caught the cube with his beak, nodding to his friend to both thank him for his well wishes and to wish him well, also. Slytunkhamen ran to the outskirts of the city to return home. He found Sly leaning against the wall outside, still in his Egyptian gear, as he waited for his return.

"I believe we have much to talk about, my descendant."

"I couldn't agree more, ancestor." Sly nodded.

"So…Sly. Is that based on my name?"

"Maybe," said Sly. "But it's more like a nickname. My real name is Sylvester James Cooper."

"Ha! Three names? Or two plus the name of my house."

"In the future, we will have a first, middle, and last name. Some people have multiple middle names, and some married women keep their original last name and add their husbands' last name. For example, Carmelita Montoya Fox-Cooper." He smirked at the example he gave.

"I see." Slytunkhamen nodded.

"Oh, there's this artist who has the longest name in the world. Let's see if I can remember… Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso."

"Argh," groaned Slytunkhamen. "You're giving me a headache!"

Sly laughed a little. "Sorry."

"Moving on," said Slytunkhamen. "So, you said you're from the future? How did you get here?"

"Well," said Sly. "I fought this guy on top of a blimp, which had a time machine in it. He des-"

"Wait, wait. Machine? What is a machine?"

"It's hard to explain, but it's like a tool made of metal (usually) that runs on electricity."

"Electricity? Like lighting?"

"Sort of…"

"Interesting." Slytunkhamen said, rubbing his chin. "So, you fought him and you lost, right?"

"Not exactly. I beat him, but I saved him from falling to his death."

"Why?"

"To show… mercy."

"Ah," said Slytunkhamen. "I understand."

"Anyway… did you start The Thievius Raccoonus yet?"

"Of course," Slytunkhamen nodded. "Would you like to see it?"

Sly nodded, smiling. They both went inside, Slytunkhamen held a hand up as a gesture for Sly not to follow him, went into his room, and came out with the book. "It's big, but there's not much. I want every member of the House of Koophar to add a unique thieving technique to this book."

Sly smirked. "You should see what it's like after 33 centuries. So, did you establish the House of 'Koophar'?"

"Heavens, no." Slytunkhamen said, shaking his head. "My lineage of thieves," the Egyptian got out his right index finger. "Who only steals from other thieves and corrupt men, has been around since time immemorial." He put his hand down. "You see, Sly. Up until I inherited the family heirloom, we have taught the traditions of Koophar by word of mouth. However, it is impossible for any man to hold memories that go on for an eternity."

"You can say that again." Sly smirked, holding his hand out for the book. After Slytunkhamen handed it to him, he looked at how there were only a few pages that he'd written. "I can't help but notice that it's written in Latin, rather than in hieroglyphic."

Slytunkhamen chuckled. "Ah yes, well, the secrets of Koophar were taught by word of mouth because it's a secret. Since Rome is far, far away, I doubt anyone will be able to read my book anytime soon."

"So, it's in a foreign language so no one in Egypt will read it?"

Slytunkhamen smirked. "Exactly."

Sly just rolled his eyes. "Okaaay. Anyway, I'd like to leave a message to my friends in my time in that book, if it's okay."

"Of course," nodded Slytunkhamen. "What would you like to put?"

Sly was about to answer, but he didn't know what he wanted to put in. He thought he could just write 'I'm in Ancient Egypt. Help me, Bentley,' but that could hurt the timeline and/or there'd be a risk of revealing too much of the future. "I'm not sure yet," said Sly. "I'll have to think about it. I'll also have to carve an artifact for them so they can use it to come back here."

"They need an artifact to travel to the past?" Sly asked, tilting his head.

"Yeah, I know it's weird, but that's the best my friend, Bentley, could do."

"Weird name. Who is this Bentley?"

"Oh, he's the smartest guy I know. He plans all our heists." Sly smiled proudly.

"Heist?"

"Oh, sorry. Our thefts."

"Oh," Slytunkhamen nodded.

"It's Bentley, who's a turtle, a super strong hippo named Murray, and me. We grew up together at an orphanage after my parents died."

"By the gods," said Slytunkhamen, placing a hand on Sly's shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Don't worry," said Sly. "We avenged their deaths."

"Ah," said Slytunkhamen, pulling his hand back. "Of course you did. The House of Koophar is not to be taken lightly." He smiled proudly. "I, too, have a friend and brother of sorts. A long time ally to my family. He is of clan Hoophar."

"Hoophar?" Sly asked with one eyebrow raised.

"Yes," said Slytunkhamen. "I'll introduce you two when I have the chance."

Sly heard the door open. When he saw Nefertana, he flinched. "She found your hideout! We have to go!"

Slytunkhamen just rolled his eyes. "Relax, my boy. She's no danger to us." He walked over to the female guard, holding her in his arms with a smirk. "At least, not when she's off duty."

Nefertana smirked back. "Unless you cross me, my love."

"How'd it go with our pharaoh?"

"I'm sure you can imagine." She chuckled. "He's extremely livid about it."

"I hope you're not in too much trouble."

"No," she smirked. "Just 'enough'."

The two lean in for a passionate kiss. Slytunkhamen pulled away, turning to face Sly. "My dear, this is a distant relative of mine, who goes by Sly of the House of Cooper. Sly, this is my wife, Nefertana." He chuckled. "At least, when she isn't shooting arrows at me."

Sly laughed a little. "How does that work?"

"You see," Nefertana began. "I used to see the law in black and white. At least until I saw what my husband stood for and the corruption among the nobles of Egypt. Not only does he only steal from those who deserve to be stolen from, but he gives some back to the people."

"Ah," said Sly. "Like Robin Hood."

"Who?" The couple asked in unison.

"Sorry. Long story."

"You see, Sly." Slytunkhamen said. "What makes our marriage last is the fact that despite our 'career' choices, we have trust. We don't keep secrets from each other."

Nefertana chuckled, smirking. "And all it took was for you to stop being a coward."

"Very true, my sister."

"What," exclaimed Sly, his eyes wide. "Eww!"

Slytunkhamen waved his hands defensively. "No, no, no! Not that kind of sister. How do I put this? When a man and a woman are wed, they spiritually become brother and sister."

"Ohhh!" Sly said with a sigh of relief.

"Yes," said Slytunkhamen. "It's the royal family that's known to engage in incest. It's to preserve the royal bloodline."

"Gross," said Sly.

"Anyway," said Nefertana. "I shall retire to our quarters." She walked up to Slytunkhamen, giving him a kiss goodnight. "Don't be too long, my brother."

"I'll join you shortly, my sister."

Sly rolled his eyes, trying not to groan. As Nefertana went to bed, Slytunkhamen grabbed the pillow and blanket for Sly. "Might I suggest sleeping on the roof tonight? I don't know how you do things in your time, but here, sleeping on the roof in the cool night air is among the few pleasures of the commoners."

"I see," nodded Sly. "Do you enjoy it?"

Slytunkhamen laughed. "Sometimes… mainly when I'm in trouble with my wife."

Sly chuckled. "In my time, the husband is sent to the sofa."

"I see," said Slytunkhamen. "Well, I shall hope the walls and roof are well thick. Goodnight, Sly. If you figure out what you want your message to be, let either me or my wife know." He turned to enter his room to join his wife.

"Goodnight, Slytunkhamen, and thank you." Sly took his pillow and blanket to the roof, specifically to a section away from his ancestors' room. He had to admit, the top of the roof had a lovely view of the stars, and the cool air and warm blanket felt nice. He chuckled at the thought of guys being sent to the roof for upsetting their wives. He was intrigued by how his ancestor and the royal guard who chased him could not only hold a secret relationship, but a marriage, since they were on opposite sides of the law. They had no secrets between them. He wished he could enjoy that with Carmelita, but feared him faking amnesia might've ruined that. He kept thinking about that before sleep took hold of him.

——————————————————

Two years after Sly disappeared, Carmelita was standing on the balcony, leaning against the railing as she looked out to the city of Paris. She was in her usual outfit, yellow jacket, blue top, blue skirt, and combat boots. Sly climbed up to the balcony, crouching on the railing with his cane in his hand. "Hey beautiful," he said.

Carmelita turned her head to face the raccoon before her eyes widened with shock and surprise at the sight of the master thief. "Cooper?"

Sly came down from the railing, smiling as he slowly walked to her. "Carmelita, I've missed -"

Carmelita drew her shock pistol, pointing it at him with rage evident in her face, which made the raccoon stop altogether. "You've got a lot of nerve showing your face again after what you did!"

Sly was shocked and heartbroken. His smile left in a hurry. "Carmelita, I'm so sorry."

"You're sorry," exclaimed Carmelita as she rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry too, Cooper! Sorry I didn't lock you up sooner!"

"I… I thought before I got lost in time… we…"

"We what?" Carmelita raised a brow. "Made up? I thought you were going to die! It took me two years to get over you, Ringtail, and now you show up? You should've stayed gone!"

That last sentence echoed in Sly's head, as he felt his heart shatter into pieces.

——————————————————

Sly woke up, breathing heavily from the shock and scare that his nightmare had given him. After a few seconds, he sat up and began to process what he dreamt of, which brought tears to his eyes. He put his hands to his face as he began to sob silently. "Carmelita," he whispered in his sob. "I'm sorry."

Day 3

As the morning sun came, Slytunkhamen came outside with a basket of bread and slices of melon. "Good morning, Sly. I have brought you some…" The Egyptian paused as he saw Sly just sitting on the roof, exhausted. "...breakfast."

Sly just slowly turned to his ancestor, still holding a long and tired face. "No, thanks. I'm not hungry."

Slytunkhamen frowned, concerned for his descendant. He climbed up to the roof, carrying the food with him as he sat next to him. He grabbed a roll of bread and took a bite while he was holding the basket. After swallowing, he took a hard took at his fellow raccoon and sighed. "You miss them, don't you?"

Sly nodded, still holding his gaze forward.

Slytunkhamen put his hand on Sly's shoulder. "Don't worry, my friend. You will see them again. I'll make sure of that."

Sly turned to face his ancestor, nodding in gratitude for the assurance. Slytunkhamen could see the black lines in his eyelids with dry tears around them, but behind the redness in his eyes due to lack of sleep, he could see heartache.

Slytunkhamen's eyes widened before his smile did. "Ahhh. It's a woman."

Sly was shocked by his ancestor's ability to read him. "Am I that obvious?"

Slytunkhamen smirked. "I'm afraid so, my friend. I could tell by the heartache in your eyes."

Sly sighed, turning back his gaze to the city beyond. "Carmelita always said I was predictable."

"Carmelita?" Slytunkhamen said. "A beautiful name." He patted Sly on the back. "She's a lucky woman, Sly."

Sly sighed, choosing not to dignify that.

A look of shock appeared on Slytunkhamen's face upon the realization that hit him from Sly's sigh of disappointment and shame. "Oh…what happened?"

Sly was silent for a moment before he turned to face his ancestor again. He took a deep breath. "I envy you, Slytunkhamen. I envy you and Nefertana. You have love, trust, and respect." A tear shed from his eye. "You were able to get that without either of you changing for the other." He sighed. "I had to lie about losing my memory to be with the love of my life. I want to tell her the truth every day. I wanted her to love me. I know some part of her does, but I blew it. I blew it and I don't know if I'll ever be able to explain myself to her." A few more drops of tears fell from his eyes. "To tell her how sorry I am for lying to her. To tell her that I love her. To tell her… I'd do anything to make it up to her." His head hung low. "Even if she does find me…"

Slytunkhamen sighed, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Look at me."

Sly made eye contact with him.

"You made a HUGE mistake, I won't lie to you. But you can fix it. If even a small part of her loves you, there's still hope. You just have to tell her how you feel. How you really feel. If you want to convince her that you truly want to regain her love, you must speak from the heart." He pointed at his chest, smiling. "Just let your heart do the talking, and you shall not fail."

Sly nodded, grabbing a slice of melon and taking a bite.

Slytunkhamen smiled wider. "There you go! Now, if you feed the body, you'll feed the mind, and you shall find the answer to your problem."

Sly chuckled. "Thanks."

"Anytime, my friend." Sly took another bite from his bread roll. "Listen, I don't have any plans today. Perhaps, after breakfast, you'd like me to show you around? I know some good markets, and I can educate you on the gods."

Sly nodded. "I'd like that."

Sly smiled. "Excellent! But for now, you must regain your strength, and I must maintain mine. Let us eat!"

The two ate their breakfast, washed up, and ventured to the city. Slytunkhamen brought with him a bag of food and Sly carried pouches of water. As Sly was enjoying the sights, he couldn't help but notice Slytunkhamen suddenly "bumping" into a male lynx. "What was that," asked Sly.

"Oh," said Slytunkhamen. "I didn't see him there."

"Uh huh," said Sly. He wasn't sure if he bought it, but decided not to think too much of it.

The two of them made their way to a platform where the statues of all the Egyptian gods were. Slytunkhamen sat down, eating an apple.

"Where'd you get that," asked Sly.

Slytunkhamen was still chewing his food. "I packed it separate from the bag," he lied.

"I see," said Sly. He grabbed an apple for himself, taking a bite as he looked at the idols. He noticed one in particular that caught his eye. "Who's she?" Sly pointed.

Slytunkhamen looked at the statue Sly pointed to. He smiled. "That is Hathor, the goddess of love."

"Hmm," said Sly. "Think she could help me with my problem?" He said, teasingly.

Slytunkhamen chuckled. "That's not how it works, I'm afraid. She gives each of us a chance at love. Maybe two. But what we do with it is up to us. I'm afraid she has other stuff to do."

"Figures," said Sly. He continued to stare at the idol, intently.

"My advice, Sly, is to not dwell on the worst possibility. If you do, it'll drive you mad."

"Mmhmm." Sly continued to stare at the idol.

Slytunkhamen crossed his arms. " Are you even listening?"

"Huh," said Sly, snapping out of his trance. "Sorry," he said as he began to smirk. "I was picturing Carmelita wearing her outfit."

Slytunkhamen's eyes were wide in shock, but soon began to burst with laughter. "You're hopeless, Sly. Hopelessly in love. If only your lady friend could see you now."

Sly frowned, his cheeks turning red.

"Relax, my boy. I was just teasing. So, she really means that much to you?"

Sly nodded. "She's…perfect. Not 'perfect' perfect, but you know…"

Slytunkhamen smirked, finishing his apple. "I know what you mean, my friend. That's how I feel about Nefertana. She can be stubborn and hot headed, but she's just so beautiful when she's angry."

Sly laughed. "Just like Carmelita."

The two of them laughed together. Slytunkhamen sighed. "For years, man has tried to attain perfection, but even the most perfect design has some flaws." He said, taking a sip from his water pouch. "In my experience, perfection is in the eye of the beholder."

"So…perfection has flaws," asked Sly.

"Exactly." Sly grabbed one of his hooks, placing his elbow in the ground as he rotated his arm, walking around the center while maintaining a perfect balance to imitate a geometrical compass to draw a perfect circle. "That was a trick I learned from the Greeks."

"Wow," said Sly. "A perfect circle."

"Not quite," said Slytunkhamen. "You see," he pointed to an edge that was 'slightly' jagged. "There's a slightly jagged edge there," he stated before pointing to another part. "And too much dirt came out of that part."

"Well, it's still pretty perfect for what you had."

"As I said," said Slytunkhamen, smirking. "Perfection is in the eye of the beholder. As you've said, also, perfection has flaws."

"I see," said Sly, nodding.

"Anyway," said Slytunkhamen, leaning back as he sat. "Have you figured out what you want to send your friends?"

"I've got a few ideas," said Sly. "But I'm still working on it."

"I see," Slytunkhamen nodded. "Well, I've made a tablet with the logo I found on your ridiculous outfit. It looks neat, by the way."

"Well, that's not a bad idea. Though, I think I should make something else just in case."

Slytunkhamen nodded. "I have stone carving material at the house. Perhaps something more personal." He smirked.

Sly nodded. "Good idea."

The two of them ate their lunch as they enjoyed the day together. Slytunkhamen managed to convince Sly to talk about something other than Carmelita. Sly didn't want to give away too much, but he mentioned how the gang and he had to save the Cooper legacy, which even spanned from the time of the dinosaurs. They enjoyed sharing their adventures with each other, as Sly got to learn more about his ancestor, and not only did Slytunkhamen learn more about his own heritage, but also how far it will go. From all over the old world to across the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the Pacific Ocean.

Hours later, they walked back to Slytunkhamen's house. Sly stopped at the entrance when he noticed his ancestor not following him inside. "You're not coming in?"

Slytunkhamen shook his head. "I know I said I didn't have any plans, my friend, but it seems there is an errand I must attend to."

Sly shrugged. "If you say so." Sly turned to face the door. "I'm going to figure out what I'm going to make for my friends."

Slytunkhamen nodded. "Good idea. I shall see you tomorrow. Goodnight." He ran off before Sly could say anything.

One hour later, in the city

Later in the evening, Slytunkhamen crawled out of a vase, growing impatient with not finding a criminal to rob. He felt back for stealing an apple from the lynx earlier, but he couldn't help himself. Now, he was battling an itch he couldn't scratch. He saw the house of a merchant he knew of, so he snuck inside.

The Egyptian thief came out, holding a golden necklace with green gems on it. He looked at it in awe. "I wonder if Nefertana would like it," he said to himself, silently.

"I'd like it better on its rightful owner," said a voice, which seemed to come out of nowhere. It was Nefertana's voice. Her arms were crossed and her eyes were filled with disgust and disappointment.

Slytunkhamen turned to see his wife, stunned at her running into him. "Nefertana," he said, trying to hide the necklace behind his back in desperation.

"I can't believe you, Koophar!"

Slytunkhamen slowly made his way to her. "Nefertana, this isn't what it-"

Nefertana drew her bow and arrow, stopping her husband from getting any closer. "I thought you only took from criminals."

"I…I do," he stuttered. "S-see…the guy…he, he…"

"Save it," she snapped. "I know that merchant, and so do you! You even helped him during the slow season! How could you?!"

Slytunkhamen was silent for a moment. How could he do that? He sighed. "I don't know, my love. I don't know what came over me."

She narrowed her eyes. "Return the necklace, and maybe I'll forget what I saw tonight."

Slytunkhamen looked at her, then the necklace. He looked like he was going to put it back in the house, but ran off instead. This filled Nefertana with rage as she began to chase him down. She kept shooting arrows at him, except they came centimetres away from hitting him. For years, she was only shooting at him for show, but now she really was trying to hit him. This fact scared the male raccoon, as he ran out the city walls. When he was a generous distance away, she stopped and put away her bow.

"DON'T EVER COME BACK HERE, KOOPHAR! IF YOU DO, I'LL KILL YOU!" Nefertana screamed. After a moment, tears of heartbreak filled her eyes. 'How could he do this,' she mentally asked herself. 'He hasn't done this since… Sly showed up.'

Meanwhile

Sly was looking at the block of stone on the table, listening to "Wherever You Will Go" by the Calling. He was trying to think about what he could carve, but his mind was blocked. He sighed before turning the music off. "I guess I'll have to try again, tomorrow." He got up to go back outside when Nefertana came in, and pinned him to the wall, putting a blade to his throat.

"What did you do?!"

"Huh," asked Sly, both confused and shocked at Nefertana putting a knife on him.

"Don't play innocent with me, boy! What have you done with my husband?!"

"I haven't done anything," said Sly. "He said he had some errands to run."

"I saw," she said. "He robbed an innocent man."

"He what," asked Sly, eyes wide with shock.

"Don't tell me you had nothing to do with this," she said. "He was just fine , until you showed up."

"I had nothing to do…wait," said Sly, remembering that morning. "I saw him bump into somebody. I didn't think much of it, at first, but I think he stole that apple."

"What," she asked with one eyebrow raised. "I saw him steal a necklace. You mean he stole something this morning, and you did nothing?"

"I wasn't sure if he did," said Sly, defensively. "I would never allow him to do that. It's against my lin- I mean, our houses."

Nefertana sighed. "He told me what you are. He told me you're from the future."

Sly nodded.

Nefertana took a hard look into his eyes, studying them. After a minute, she pulled the knife back and released him. "I couldn't see any lies in your eyes, Sly. But if you're not the cause of him breaking his code, then who is?"

Sly shrugged. "I don't know. All I know is before this morning, he had an errand to run before meeting back here last night."

"He was giving his partner the gem the pharaoh had."

"Gem," asked Sly. "What gem?"

"A blue crystal cube with strange markings. The pharaoh became greedy ever since he… by the gods."

"Wait, if Slytunkhamen and his partner have it, then…"

"The gem," said Nefertana. "It's evil. It brings out the worst in people!"

Sly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Nefertana, do you know where he'd go?"

"Yes," she said, nodding. "He went to his secret chambers to store the necklace."

"Where?"

"I'm not sure," she said. "That's the one thing he never told me."

Sly sighed. "Well, I guess we'll have to wait until he comes back."

Nefertana nodded. "I'm going to try to get some rest. We'll need our strength tomorrow."

Sly nodded, heading outside. "Goodnight. I'm sure he'll come back."

She rolled her eyes as she said to herself. "Yeah, and when he does, he'll be in big trouble."

Sly lied on the roof of the house, yawning. He gazed at the stars, slowly closing his eyes as sleep began to take him.

——————————————————

Sly was driven back to Paris, and as soon as the van came to a stop, he jumped out the van. "Carmelita," he called. However, she was nowhere in sight. He looked around and saw that they were at a cemetery, which made Sly fear the worst, dropping his cane. "Oh, no." He searched around for her tombstone, praying he wouldn't find it, but eventually found it.

It read: Here lies Inspector Carmelita Montoya Fox. Shot and killed in the line of duty. Devoted Fourth Generation Police Officer. 1981-2018.

Sly dropped to his knees in front of the tombstone, placing his right hand on it. "I… I never got to tell you how sorry I am…" A tear fell from his eye. "That I love you…I always have…" He sniffed. "You were…the most amazing woman I've ever met…You were…like a goddess…"

——————————————————

Sly woke up, sitting up quickly. He took deep breaths. "Like a goddess," he said to himself, remembering his chat with Slytunkhamen. "That's it! Why didn't I think of that before?" He slapped his face with one hand. "Stupid!"

He went back inside, and pulled down the model of Hathor from one of the shelves on the wall. He was sure that Nefertana was asleep, so he adjusted the volume, playing "Wherever You Will Go" by the Calling.

So lately, been wondering

Who will be there to take my place

When I'm gone, you'll need love

To light the shadows on your face

Sly drew on a sheet of paper a picture of Carmelita, wearing Hathor's clothing based on the figurine of the goddess across from him on the table.

If a great wave shall fall

And fall upon us all

Then between the sand and stone

Could you make it on your own?

Sly drew his outline of what he was carving on all four sides of the stone block, using both the picture and figurine for reference.

If I could, then I would

I'll go wherever you will go

Way up high or down low

I'll go wherever you will go

Sly began slowly carving the edges of the block with his chisel.

And maybe, I'll find out

A way to make it back someday

To watch you, to guide you

Through the darkest of your days

Sly blew some of the pieces of stone off the block, which already had the corners carved out.

If a great wave shall fall

And fall upon us all

Well then I hope there's someone out there

Who can bring me back to you

Sly had the stone shaped with arms, a head and a torso on top of a rectangular base.

If I could, then I would

I'll go wherever you will go

Way up high or down low

I'll go wherever you will go

Sly began using a smaller chisel to carve in the features.

Run away with my heart

Run away with my hope

Run away with my love

Sly had finished the features of the head and torso.

I know now, just quite how

My life and love might still go on

In your heart, in your mind

I'll stay with you for all of time

Sly finished carving the features of the arms, legs, and attire.

If I could, then I would

I'll go wherever you will go

Way up high or down low

I'll go wherever you will go

Sly finished carving the base of the figurine, complete with the Cooper logo at the front.

If I could turn back time

I'll go wherever you will go

If I could make you mine

I'll go wherever you will go

I'll go wherever you will go

Sly finished smoothing out the figurine with a rock blanket. The final touch to the stone carving was writing at the bottom of the base, which he carved " Carmelita, my goddess".

Nefertana came out, smiling at the carving. "Impressive," she said. "Have you done this before?"

Sly turned to her. "Once or twice," he smirked. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"No," she said, sighing. "I can't sleep after what happened."

Sly nodded. "I understand."

"By the way, what is that?" She asked, pointing to the tape player.

"Oh this?" He grabbed the player. "It's a tape player. It plays music."

"I see," she said. "What kind of magic is used?"

"Not magic," he said. "It's hard to explain, but it uses electricity and metal wires."

"Hmm. I don't think I quite understand."

"Yeah, it's…complicated."

She chuckled. "Indeed." She sighed, sitting at the table.

"Miss him," he asked.

"Yes," said Nefertana. "It's like he's been cursed."

Sly nodded. "I understand. It's like the time my friends and I have to save Carmelita from being hypnotized."

"Hypnotized?" Nefertana asked in confusion.

"Yeah, it involves mind control, but it's with science or something. Of course, Bentley said it was 'semi' magical." He chuckled. "After we blew it up, he said the place wasn't for an asthmatic." His eyes widened. "Wait…of course!"

"What," Nefertana asked.

"Do you know where The Thievius Raccoonus is?"

She nodded, getting up to get it. After a few seconds, she placed the big book on the table. Sly began turning the pages until he saw the map to his secret chambers. He gestured to Nefertana to take a look, and when she did, her eyes widened. "So, that's where he is!"

"How long will it take us to get there?"

"If we travel by horse, we'll get there faster."

Sly nodded, grabbing the book and carving to bring with them on their trip to the chambers.

Meanwhile, with Slytunkhamen

It had taken Slytunkhamen until sunrise to reach his destination. He finished the water from his pouch as he reached the entrance. All of a sudden, Werkahnamen flew down, landing on the entrance wall. The Egyptian raccoon smiled. "Good morning, my friend. How have you been?"

Werkahnamen's eyes narrowed. "Just fine," he said, coldly.

Slytunkhamen blinked as a look of concern appeared on his face. "My brother, is everything alright? What's wrong?"

A sharp exhale came from the eagle-owl. "Do you really want to know?"

The raccoon nodded.

"Alright, then." He took a deep breath. "I'm sick and tired of always being stuck in your shadow!"

Slytunkhamen was stunned. "What?"

"Did I stutter," asked Werkahnamen, rhetorically. "I've been a faithful ally to you and your legacy! I guard the treasure you steal, give you rides, and I use both my brains and brawn, as needed. What do I get?! While your family legacy gains more respect, mine stays in your shadow!"

"I…I…I had no idea you felt that way…"

"Of course you wouldn't," said Werkahnamen.

"Werkahnamen, my brother. I was going to add you in my book." Slytunkhamen said, slowly walking forward. " You are the most essential part of our legacy. Half of the treasure is supposed to go to you and your children."

Werkahnamen jumped down, leaning in so their faces were only inches away from each other. "Hmm…then why is our book called The Thievius 'Raccoonus'?"

"We both were supposed to start our own books, my brother. Our lineage is separate but equal. We each have our own special tricks to contribute. My invisibility, for example, while you add your energy rings to yours."

"Hmm…I see." Werkahnamen flew back to the wall he previously perched himself. "But that doesn't change anything. All I do is come and go on your command and play guard jackal for our loot, yet it's called your secret chambers."

"What has gotten into you, Werkahnamen? You haven't been yourself since we…" Slytunkhamen's eyes widened with realization. "Stole that cube…" He ran towards the entrance, but was blocked by Werkahnamen.

"Where do you think you're going?" The owl's wings spread out.

"My brother, that cube is evil! It's corrupted you. It's corrupted me."

"You?"

"Yes, my friend." The raccoon sighed. "It shames me to say that I've broken my family code." He got out the necklace he stole. "I've stolen from a hardworking man, undeserving of the theft dealt upon him." His shoulders dropped. "What's worse is that I've broken my wife's heart. I don't know how to explain this to her…" His head faced his owl friend. "But I do know that we must be rid of the cube."

"Ha," said Werkahnamen. "I think not! This treasure is mine! ALL MINE! Leave now, or I shall make a meal out of you!"

"Don't do this, Werkahnamen." Slytunkhamen pleaded, getting his hooks. "You have to fight it! You're both stronger and smarter than I am! You have to fight!"

Werkahnamen was silent for a moment. "You're right…" His wings lowered as his raccoon friend smiled, but he got back into a fighting stance. "I am both stronger and smarter than you!" He opened his mouth and lunged towards the raccoon, but was stopped when an arrow hit him in the beak.

"No one hurts him, but me!" Nefertana said, riding her horse towards the chambers, as Sly was struggling to hold on from behind.

"Nefertana, my love!" Slytunkhamen said, running towards his wife. "My sister, I am so sorry for what I've done." He handed the necklace back to her. "Last night…that wasn't me, it was-"

Nefertana cut him off with a hard slap to his face, but then she kissed him. "I know, my brother. It was the gem."

Slytunkhamen's eyes widened. "How'd you-"

"We figured it out," said Sly, getting off the horse. "It made the pharaoh corrupt as well."

"Ah," said Slytunkhamen. "How insightful of you two."

Sly looked up at the great eagle-owl, grabbing his cane. "It's him! It's Clockwerk!"

"Who," asked Slytunkhamen.

"He's the one who killed my parents!"

"What? How?" The Egyptian Raccoon asked.

"It's a long story, but if we don't settle this, he'll haunt our family for thousands of years!"

"Sly, this is the man who saved your life!" Slyt said, betting between the two. "This is Werkahnamen…of clan Hoophar."

Sly's eyes widened. "What?!"

"If it wasn't for him, you'd have died in the desert."

"Are you just now introducing us," the owl asked.

"I'd have done it sooner, but he was going through-"

"Enough," shouted Werkahnamen. "I do the work, and you get the credit! Enough talk! You will all die!"

Nefertana began shooting arrows at the owl. "My love," she shouted. "I believe you have something you must get rid of! Go! Now!"

Slytunkhamen nodded, running inside the chambers.

"Oh no you don't!" Werkahnamen followed him inside.

Slytunkhamen was running around the chamber halls, looking for the crystal cube while dodging energy rings being shot at him by the great eagle-owl. He turned a corridor, becoming invisible. Werkahnamen flew past him, searching for the raccoon. The Egyptian thief turned visible again, and continued to run through the halls, searching for the cube. He stopped when he saw it through an entrance to one of the rooms. As he entered, he ran towards it, but stopped due to the owl jumping right behind the gem.

"Looking for something," asked Werkahnamen, rhetorically. He picked the cube up with his beak, swallowing it, which earned a shocked look from the raccoon. "I told you. That gem is mine." He slowly crept towards Slytunkhamen. " All of this is mine!"

"Actually," said Sly from above the owl, making his head look up to face him. "All of that is Cooper property." He jumped down, slamming his cane into the owl's head as hard as he could. It was enough to knock him on his belly as Sly continued to beat him in the face. After several beatings, Sly grabbed a sword that was lying on the ground, getting ready to put it in his throat.

"Wait," said Slytunkhamen. "He saved your life, Sly! You must spare his!"

"Why," asked Sly, pushing the blade further onto Werkahnamen's skin. "So he can kill my parents again?!"

"You must show him mercy," said Slytunkhamen. "What would your Carmelita think?"

Sly was silent for a moment. "If I let him live…he'll haunt our family…he'll kill my parents…Bentley will be…" Sly stopped, as he thought about his friends. 'If it weren't for him,' he thought to himself. 'I wouldn't have met them. I probably wouldn't have met…her…If I kill him…I'll be doing what La'Paradox tried to do to me…' He withdrew the blade, stepping away from him. "You saved my life," he said coldly. "So I'll spare yours."

Nefertana made her way in, standing with the other two, weapons at the ready. "Leave this place," she said. "And don't ever come back."

Werkahnamen slowly got up, injured. "You may have beaten me, members of Koophar, but I still have the pharaoh's cube. I'll be back. I shall have my vengeance. I will never rest until I've eclipsed your family legacy! I shall haunt you and your children! This is my curse to you!" He began to fly away. "You will never be rid of me! Werkahnamen of clan Hoophar!" He called out as he left the chambers, soaring far into the desert.

"Speaking of children," said Nefertana, smirking. "I wanted to tell you last night, before…you know."

Slytunkhamen's eyes widened. "You mean?"

She nodded. "Yes, my love." She placed her hand on her belly, though it had yet to show. "I'm with child."

Slytunkhamen smiled. "By the gods, this is incredible!" He kissed her as they embraced. "We're going to be parents!"

Sly placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling. "Congratulations, my friend." He got pulled into a group hug.

"So," Slytunkhamen smiled. "Have you found your inspiration?"

"I did, as a matter of fact." Sly smiled, grabbing the figurine of Carmelita as the goddess Hathor.

Slytunkhamen smirked. "Well, you certainly know how to flatter a lady." He grabbed the figurine, examining it. "It will be safe here, my friend."

"I wouldn't count on it," said Sly. "All the treasure here gets relocated in the Pacific, plus that owl will be back."

"I see," said Slytunkhamen. "But there's a place where it will be safe and private from even him."

Slytunkhamen brought them to a secret entrance to an underground lair. It was filled with gold, maps, trinkets for navigation, and it had a shrine dedicated to Nefertana, which caused her to blush. He directed the two over to look at a map of Europe and Asia. "Tell me, Sly." The Egyptian raccoon said. "Exactly where does my treasure get relocated?"

Sly looks at the map, trying not to reveal the existence of the Americas. He vaguely remembered the location of Kaine island, so he pointed where it ought to be in the Pacific. "About…there…"

"There," he asked, a bit confused. "It would take several days just to get to the coast over there."

"True, but it would be hard to get."

Slytunkhamen nodded. "It would take a couple lifetimes to build such a secure storage, but it would be a testament to our family legacy."

Sly smirked. "You have no idea. Anyway, I was hoping that we could leave the carving down here."

"Would that be better," asked Slytunkhamen.

Sly nodded. "Just in case the artifacts you make get stolen or something." It was true that Sly considered that fact, but he also wanted to keep his figurine safe from the Kaine Island fiasco.

And so, the artifact that I made was kept in Slytunkhamen's lair, where it would be safe. We added a picture of the figurine with the map and my message to Bentley. It's a good thing the book gets translated later. I just wish I could see the look on his face. I decided to wait at the "original vault" so they'll know where to find me, and so I could protect the vault from the original Clockwerk.

They would bring me food every few days, as I waited for weeks. I would still have dreams of Carmelita. Some were good, and others…not so good. My last dream, however, was bittersweet. Here's why?

--

Sly entered Carmelita's bedroom and saw her lying on a hospital bed. She was paler, had wrinkles, and her hair turned white. Sly was surprised to see how much she'd aged, but mainly because it showed him how long it took to find him. She turned to him, giving a small smirk. "Cooper," she said. "I've finally caught you."

Sly smirked a little, walking over to her. "I see that you've become like the finest wine, Miss Fox." He said, referring to her age.

She chuckled. "Still with the flirty chit chat, Ringtail." She grabbed his hand. "How I missed that."

Sly squeezed her hand, looking deeply into her eyes. "I thought about you everyday…I'm just sorry it took me so long…I'm also sorry for-"

"Sly," she said, cutting him off. "Just…come here."

Sly leaned closer to the old vixen. She pulled him in for a deep and passionate kiss as they embraced. They pulled away to catch their breath. She placed her hand on his cheek, smiling as she looked into his eyes. "I've waited 60 years to do that."

Sly chuckled a bit, caressing her cheek as he looked back into her eyes. They didn't say anything to each other for a while. They were just happy to see each other again, even if it took so long. "Sly," she said. "Sly…Sly…"

--

"Sly," Slytunkhamen said, trying to wake his descendant. "Sly, wake up!"

Sly's eyes slowly opened. "Wha?"

"Wake up, Sly. There's some people here to see you."

Sly got up and saw both Bentley and Murray near the entrance. He ran and hugged them, mostly getting crushed by Murray in the process. "Oh Sly, we missed you, buddy!"

"I've…missed you too." He said, barely able to breathe from being crushed by Murray.

"Murray…can't…breathe…" Bentley said.

Murray let go of the two.

"How long was I gone," asked Sly.

"Six months," said Bentley. "But it felt like-"

"Sixty years," teased Sly.

Bentley laughed. "I was gonna say six, but yeah. I read your message, by the way. Very funny." He said with sarcasm in that last sentence.

"Sly," said Slytunkhamen, getting a gold ring with three gems: red, blue, and green. "I made this during your wait. A parting gift for…you know." He winked.

"Ah," said Sly, smirking. He turned to Bentley. "Would it hurt the timeline if I brought it with me?"

"Well, since it was made for you, theoretically it shouldn't. Why?"

"I'll explain later. First, how's Carmelita?"

"Why don't you ask her," said Bentley. "She's outside by the van, talking to your ancestor's wife."

Sly ran outside, seeing Carmelita leaning against the side of the van, talking with Nefertana about how they met Sly and how he'd talk about her and his friends. She looked up to him, surprised. She didn't say or do anything, as she was still processing the situation. She remained still, her facial expression was plain, as if she froze. Nefertana decided to walk towards her husband so the vixen and raccoon could have their reunion.

For a moment, Sly froze as well. His cane dropped from his hand before he slowly moved towards her, one leg at a time. When they were less than six feet apart, a tear fell from his eye, happy to see her at last. He took a deep breath, trying to find the strength to speak as he looked deeply into her eyes, as more tears began to shed. "Carmelita," he said. "I'm so…so…sorry…for everything…if you give me a chance…I promise…I will find a way to m-"

Suddenly, Carmelita grabbed him by the collar, pulling him in for a deep and passionate kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to the raccoon as he slowly returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist. Tears began to shed from Carmelita's eyes, along with Sly's, as they were beyond happy to finally see each other. She pulled away from the kiss, resting her head against his chest, and he caressed the back of her head.

Bentleyand Murray began to cry for them, as it was a touching moment. Slytunkhamen and Nefertana both smiled, holding each other as they watched the couple embrace. "You know," said Slytunkhamen. "They actually make a cute couple."

Nefertana chuckled, nodding in agreement.

So, it turned out that while Carmelita and I had a lot to talk about, no words were needed when we finally reunited. Instead, our love for each other did the talking as we just enjoyed each other's embrace for what felt like hours that night. When we got back, I made us a romantic breakfast the morning after. Omelettes, french toast, and mimosas. That's when I popped the question. But, as I told you in the first episode, she refused the first proposal, but we eventually got married after my 'career change' and catching the Blue Moon Killer. To this day, she's still wearing that ring, and that carving is on a shelf on our wall. I look back at my time there, and it was probably what I needed to remind me of what's more important to me in this world, and what I'd give to have it. Now I'm married and have two wonderful little girls, and I couldn't be happier.

One night, in the Sahara Desert

Werkahnamen had found an oasis, where he'd lick his wounds for a while. During the flight, his rage and envy only got worse since he swallowed the cursed crystal cube. He began drinking from the water as he was dying of thirst. "Curse you, Slytunkhamen," he shouted. "And curse that other insolent raccoon!" He huffed. "I should've let him die in the desert! If it weren't for him, I'd still have all that treasure!" His eyes turned red as his rage intensified. "I'd have risen from his shadow! I'd…" He took a deep breath. "At least I have the cube…"

He began coughing to get the gem cube out, using his gag reflex. After a few seconds, he coughed hard, launching it into a rock. It bounced off, and as it landed on the sand, it began to glow black.

DONG!

The sound of a church bell was heard, but there was nothing for miles. He turned and saw the water from the oasis turn to blood. "By the gods…a plague?"

DONG!

Bursts of blue flames erupted from around the owl and the cube, until they were sounded by a ring of fire.

DONG!

Werkahnamen tried to fly upwards, but a field of lighting knocked him back down. He crawled back from the cube, now frightened of what he may have unleashed.

DONG!

The winds grew heavy as a beam of energy formed a silhouette from the cube as it turned into a being made of crystal. It was a blue crystal skeleton with a ram skull for a head, which had golden railroad spikes hammered into it to look like a crown. It was wearing a navy blue tunic with specks of gold on it. "The cube," it said with a deep, demonic voice and a British accent. "You opened it…I came…"

Werkahnamen was breathing heavily. "That crystal thing?"

"Oh yes…it was a means of imprisoning me!"

"What. Are. You?"

"I am but a humble traveler from the far reaches of other worlds. Enemy to some, friend to others."

"And me," the owl asked. "What am I to you?"

The inter-dimensional being chuckled. "You have freed me from my prison." He slowly walked over to the owl. "Therefore, you may call me friend, if you wish." He extended a hand to shake.

The owl hesitated, but he got up and extended his wing, sealing their newfound friendship with a 'handshake'. "Tell me, friend. What is your name?"

"I go by…Dehkwihn. And yours?"

"I am Werkahnamen of clan Hoophar."

"It is nice to meet you, Werkahnamen. I sense great rage in you. What is the cause?"

"It's Slytunkhamen and the house of Koophar! I'm tired of playing second scarab to that no-good thief!"

"And you wish to destroy him?" Dehkwihn asked, crossing his arms.

"No…I wish to destroy his legacy! And that relative of his!"

"Do tell…"

"He said I killed his parents, but I've done no such thing!"

"Hmm," said Dehkwihn. "Time travel."

"Time travel?" The owl asked, puzzled.

"Yes. It's a means of traveling the sea of time, much like travelling to other worlds. So, he's a part of the house of Koophar?"

"He must be. They have this 'book' for all their secrets. From one generation…"

"To the next." Dehkwihn finished.

Werkahnamen nodded.

"I know just what you need."

"What's that," asked Werkahnamen.

"You must wait until the book has reached a certain point. Battle Slytunkhamen and his descendants, if you must, but wait until you reach the descendant who has done you wrong." He rubbed his chin. " Do you know his name?"

"...Sly."

"I see…tell you what. In exchange for freeing meb I shall grant you immortality, so you can wait until his birth. When he is finally born, kill his parents, if you must, but spare him so you can take the book for yourself. Instead of ending the house of Koophar, you shall humiliate it! Show them and the world that without it, their lineage is nothing."

"Okay…what's the catch?"

"The process of your rebirth shall bear pain beyond what any man has ever felt. It would make childbirth feel like a bad itch."

"But I'll be immortal?"

"Yes…provided you maintain your hatred and jealousy, as it shall feed into a device known as a 'hate chip'. It will serve as the fountain of youth, but without it, age and time shall catch up to you."

"Hate chip?"

"When your world has advanced more, you shall know." He extended a hand. "So…do you accept?"

Werkahnamen thought about it for a minute, but nodded. " Anything to have my revenge on Slytunkhamen and his family legacy!. He shook his hand.

"Very good."

Suddenly, chains shot out of the sand, wrapping around the owl's head, wings, and talons. "What's this?"

"A necessity for the process of your transformation." He held his hand forward, shooting electricity at the owl, causing his screams to echo throughout the desert.

"Fueled by hatred and jealousy, which are the prime ingredients to your steady diet for life eternal!"

Werkahnamen's feathers began to slowly turn into metal as he continued to scream.

"Born from rage and anguish, as your flesh turns to metal. Blood to electricity."

Werkahnamen's screams begin to sound more metallic as his talons turn to metal.

"The sands of time shall continue to flow, but you shall never age. The owl known as Werkahnamen is dead. From this day forward, you shall be known as…Clockwerk."

The electric shock ceases, as the eagle-owl has completely transformed into a robotic version of itself. He looked at his wings, then took a few steps forward, getting a feel for his new body. "Thank you, friend…but what is a 'clock'?

"It is a device used to keep track of time. When your world's technology advances, you will know, as you'll discover your full capabilities."

"If you say so."

"Now go forth, and fulfill your destiny."

Dehkwihn grabbed the cube and disappeared, vanishing into thin air. Clockwerk looked to the horizon, and flew off into the night.

Well, that was a lot. Dehkwihn was inspired by the "Other Mother" from Coraline, the alien from Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and Pinhead from Hellraiser (as well as the cube from the Lament Configuration). I hope you enjoyed it. Rate and Review.