Thieves in Time part 1

It was a new day for Carmelita. It was a new day because she was opened to a new experience. Her boyfriend Knuckles the Echidna had opened her to a new experience having taken it upon himself to teach her how to fight.

They would often patrol the streets together and act as a tag-team in catching criminals. And Knuckles had seen Carmelita more than once jump into a scene and start punching, kicking and biting anything she had to do to stop and capture the crooks. Not that Knuckles didn't admire her ferocity but he thought if she was going to fight she might as well learn.

And Carmelita knew she could learn a lot from Knuckles. Of everyone on the planet he was probably one of the top ten fighters and it wasn't just for his tremendous strength alone, he was an expert combatant. Carmelita had seen him defeat guys twice his size. She imagined he could take on Murray, the Panda King and Muggshot all at once and still come out on top.

So the couple got into a routine and Knuckles began teaching her everything there was to know about hand to hand combat. Now as Police Officer Carmelita knew a few things, mostly take-downs and other quick actions like that. But Knuckles wanted her to learn the real thing. So they started simple with striking.

It wasn't long before other members of the Choatix joined in to help in any way they could. They set up a workout station on angel island fit with weights, punching bags and a makeshift ring. Today they stood around Carmelita as Vector held the punching bag for her and she was giving it her all.

Punch, Punch, Punch, Kick. A simple combination and one she mastered quickly.

"Breath." Knuckles commented. Carmelita nodded as if she understood and struck with the combo again. But she didn't do as Knuckles said so he took a step forward and towards her." Breath." He said again." With every strike." Carmelita nodded and took a deep breath before jumping forward and attacking once more, this time breathing with every attack. Knuckles smiled as the bag swung back more than usual and Vector had to apply more grip to keep it in place.

With a huff and a puff Carmelita stepped back but prepared to strike the bag once more.

"That's enough for now." Knuckles said with a wave of his hands." Let's take a water break." The others nodded their agreement and walked off in separate directions.

Carmelita removed the gloves from her hand and patted herself down with a towel. When she looked up there was Knuckles holding a water bottle in front of her face.

"Thank you." She said with a smile taking it.

"You're getting better." He said as he took a seat down next to her." Soon I think I'll be able to teach you some more advanced moves." Carmelita let out a refreshing 'ah' before speaking next.

"I can't wait to use these moves out on the street against some real criminals."

"Hold your horses killer, we're not there yet." The two shared a short chuckle.

"Thank you." Carmelita said." For helping me with all this."

"I live to please." Knuckles replied. Carmelita brushed her hair behind her ear and leaned down to kiss Knuckles on the head, but when she did she opened her eyes to a strange sight. There was Knuckles sitting there and yet he wasn't. One second he was there and the next second he disappeared like a cloud of smoke.

"Knuckles?" Carmelita said confused until he disappeared entirely." KNUCKLES!" she yelled jumping to her feet. She looked around frantically hoping he would appear and reveal this whole thing as some sort of joke, however that did not happen." Vector!" Carmelita turned and called out for help. She turned and started running off in the direction they were." Vector, Espio-" But she stopped to see it again. Like Knuckles before her the entire area around her was being to fade away. Like wet paint it dripped down until there was nothing but white. It all happened so fast Carmelita hardly had time to notice.

Because the next thing she knew she was sitting at her desk back in Paris. She looked around confused to see everyone carrying on as if it was a regular work day. All around her everything seemed to be normal, except that the picture of Knuckles and herself wasn't on her desk it was blank. Carmelita took deep heavy breaths as she tried to make sense of the situation. Remembering quickly that Vector and the others should be alerted she pulled out her cellphone. Scrolling into her contacts she was happy to still see his name, without a moment to lose she called him.

"Pick up pick up." She muttered into the phone as it came to her ear.

"Hello?" Vector's voice said on the other end.

"Vector!" she shrieked." It's me look something's happened to Knuckles and-"

"Who is this?" Vector suddenly asked.

"Carmelita." She as thinking he should know it.

"I think you got the wrong number babe."

"Vector it's me Carmelita, Knuckles girlfriend."

"Who's Knuckles?" Carmelita's jaw dropped and her eyes bugged open." Never heard of him."

"He's your friend." Carmelita told." The Guardian of the Master Emerald."

"The what?" A long silence followed and slowly Carmelita closed her phone. She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her forehead. She knew one thing was that she couldn't solve this by sitting at her desk so she left work and headed back home, all the while trying to make sense of this situation.

Vector didn't know who Knuckles was, the Choatix didn't know who Knuckles was. She was the only one who knew about his sudden disappearance. But could somebody have kidnapped him, they couldn't have. But why would Vector play stupid, was he in on it? This and many other question floated around her head on the drove home.

She parked her car outside her home and made her way to the front door, keys jingling in her hands. When she opened the door she found a strange sight.

There was Sly Cooper of all people standing in her home. He wasn't wearing his typical thieving gear and was inside in a casual white shirt and shorts.

"Hey Carmelita." He greeted her with a smile." Welcome Ho-OH!" He yelled as Carmelita lunged forward and punched him to the face, sending him to the ground.

"Cooper!" she yelled as she took him to the ground." What are you doing here?!"

"I live here, you know that."

"What?!"

"We live together, remember? We-"

"SHUT UP!" she folded one arm behind his back and then the other." You have the right to remain silent-"

"Oh are we doing this again?" Sly moaned." C'mon you know I haven't stolen anything."

"Ha, I'll believe that when I see it."

"It's the truth. Remember, I gave of thieving so we could be together." And at those sudden words Carmelita stopped what she was doing and remembered something. Knuckles sudden disappearance and Sly's reappearance could be linked. And she knew how much Sly hated Knuckles.

She grabbed him by the back of his shirt and yanked him to his feet.

"Where's Knuckles?!" she yelled in his face.

"Who?" Sly asked confused.

"Knuckles the Echidna remember? He beat the snot out of you two times." Sly still looked confused." Little red rage ball."

"I feel like I'd remember this guy." Suddenly at a loss Carmelita released Sly and sat down with a defeated sigh. Sly shook out his wrists and then approached her.

"Look you must have had a rough day." He said leaning over, putting one hand on her back. She said nothing." C'mon let's go into the kitchen and get some coffee." She still said nothing as she leaned on Sly as he walked her into the next room.

And there she sat with a hot cup of coffee in one hand while her housemate/boyfriend Sly Cooper sat across from her. Still trying to grasp the situation Carmelita stayed quiet, thus everything was quiet. Sly tried to ask her about her day and how she was doing but she couldn't shake out of her mind how unreal all this was. Maybe once she would have enjoyed living this comfortable life with Sly but they both knew it could never work out, but here and now it apparently had.

"You seem beat." Sly said. Carmelita didn't have time for any sort of witty retort.

"Yea." She nodded her head." I think I'll turn in early to night." She left the coffee on the table and headed to her bedroom. But to her surprise there was Sly Cooper following her all the way." What are you doing?" she asked turning back to him once she was in the doorway of her room.

"We're going to bed." He said casually.

"This is MY room."

"This is OUR room." He corrected casually. Carmelita let out a sigh." Tell you what." Sly continued." Your obviously tired, want some space so you go and lay down." He guided her onto the bed. "And I'll jump in the shower quick." Carmelita hardly had any time to say a word before he walked into the bathroom and the water starred running. This at least left her with a few moments to herself to think things over. She was ready to kick her boots off and lay her head on the pillow when something caught her attention.

A light brighter than any street light and faster than any car light zipped past her room. She went to the window to investigate. Looking outside she saw a large ball of light seemingly suspended in air hovering around her window. It was something she'd never seen before and all logic dictated that she stay away from it. But this ball of light had a mind of it' own and busted into the room, leaving broken glass on the floor.

"What the-" yelled Carmelita as she ducked to the floor, the ball of light crashing into the walls and shelves around her. She poked her head up and saw as the thing kept knocking into the bathroom door.

A second later the door opened and Sly cooper stepped out dressed in only a towel.

"Geez have you ever heard of patience-AH!" yelled Sly as he opened the door only for the ball of light to strike into him. The two then disappearing into the bathroom. Then silence.

"Sly?" Carmelita said as she stood up." Cooper?" She walked into the next room.

"Ow, Ow, Ow, Ow." Groaned Sly as the ball of light repeatedly hit him against the wall. The sight was so strange Carmelita had a hard time deciding if she should laugh or help him. But then something else happened.

Something fell out of from Sly's person. It was a necklace, she'd hadn't noticed it before because he was keeping it so well hidden. But now that he wasn't covering it up and he was being beaten it fell to the floor.

And just like before she felt herself drawn to the object. It was a silver pocket watch, not to unusual. But when she opened it up that's when it got strange. When it was flipped open there wasn't a watch it all, all it said was a date.

It read 'February 2nd 1992, 3:15pm'. And Carmelita knew for a fact that that was Knuckles birthday. And now she had the urge to push the button.

"Carmelita!" Sly yelled." NO!" But it was too late Carmelita had already clicked the button. Then suddenly everything went white.

When Carmelita opened her eyes again she wasn't in her bathroom she was in the middle of a crowded park. But luckily she wasn't alone.

"AH!" shrieked Sly."I'm nudified." He said covering himself as much as he could with the towel. Carmelita turned and faced him." Hey can you lend me a hand here?"

"Cooper what is this?!" she yelled pointing to the watch.

"A watch what does it look like?" he smirked.

"COOPER, I swear if you-" But she got distracted as she looked past Sly to see another Sly Cooper. Carmelita stopped as he draw dropped and she followed the second Sly." Do you have a twin?" she asked turning to him.

"No." said Sly. But then he turned his head and saw someone looking just like him." Oh yea him. "He chuckled nervously turning back to Carmelita." That's my twin brother Connor Cooper."

"Well let's go and have a family reunion." Said Carmelita as she turned form Sly to grab his 'brother'.

"NO!" Sly yelled forcing her to turn back to him." Okay that's not my brother and that's not a watch." He pointed to what was in her hand.

"Then what is it?" she growled.

"A time machine. "Sly admitted. Carmelita looked at him like he had three heads.

"You must be joking."

"No it's true. That's a time machine and you've sent us twenty years into the past."

"Twenty years?" Carmelita replied. But why would Sly Cooper have a watch that would send him twenty years into the past. Then suddenly it hit her like a ton of bricks. Sly Cooper was the one responsible for Knuckles' disappearance. He went back in time and somehow made it so that she and Knuckles never met or worse. She turned her attention from Sly and to the second one, watching him as he climbed up the inside of a building. That building in particular was a hospital. Now things were coming full circle.

"Look Carmelita I-" But then Carmelita turned around and punched Sly right in the face, sending him to the ground. Before he could do anything she pulled out her hand cuffs and chained one of his wrists to a nearby tree branch.

"I'll be back for you." She growled.

"Oh hey c'mon!" moaned Sly still trying to keep himself fully clothed. But Carmelita paid him no mind and turned to go and deal with the other Cooper in the hospital, putting the time machine around her neck like a necklace.

Walking into the lobby and looking she found two familiar names.

Locke the Echidna and his wife Lara-Le, Knuckles parents. Carmelita had met his mother before and had only heard about his father in name alone. Though this was in the days before their divorce. They were in the nursery, expecting a baby. That was Baby Knuckles, they were in room A206.

Carmelita turned and quickly rushed up the stairs and tried to find them. She finally did, poking her head up to see what was going on inside. There was a swarm of doctors and nurses swarming around Lara-Le while her husband stood by her side. Carmelita kept her eye out for anything suspicious so she kept an eye on baby Knuckles. She watched as a doctor took him into the next room in order to clean him up. Carmelita left Knuckles parents behind and stood outside the door to the next room. She could see only the doctor and Knuckles inside.

But then the doctor removed his mask and Carmelita saw him as none other than Sly Cooper. Not the one from her time but one who went back into the past.

He removed his mask and held the crying infant Knuckles in his hands. In one second he looked at the baby and then looked out the window. With a spring in his step he made his way to the window and opened it. Carmelita had seen enough and jumped out into the scene.

"Hold it right there Cooper!" she yelled pointing her pistol at him.

"Carmelita!" he yelled. "How are you here? This can't be possible!"

"Save it! Just put the baby down and get back!"

"No." Sly said with a smirk on his face." I don't think I will."

"You're a thief Cooper. Not a murderer, stand down now!" Sly glanced down at the baby and remembered how much he hated Knuckles. Not just for stopping his heist more importantly for stealing Carmelita from him.

"First time for everything." Sly said as he took a step closer to the window. The baby Knuckles began to cry.

"Cooper I'm warning you." She aimed down her sights at him.

"Shoot me and you risk hitting him." Sly pointed to the baby. Carmelita grinded her teeth. She had Sly in her sights, she could blast him. But the blast might send both him and Knuckles out the window.

Just then the doors opened and a newcomer came in.

"Where is he?" boomed Locke with a smile." Where is my first-born, where is my son?" He smiled as he walked into the room but when he noticed the standoff occurring he immediately went into protection mode. And Carmelita could see in Locke was where Knuckles got his Guardian instincts, his sense of Justice, and most of all his gruff demeanor. The only visual difference between the two was the brown hair that grew from Locke's chin. " What's going on here!?" He said shooting into a fighting stance, aiming two glowing hands at both Carmelita and Sly.

"Sir this isn't what-" Carmelita said. But Locke focused in one the gun in her hand and with a blast from his hand shot it out of her's. If there was anyone who would dictate the situation here it was him. Then he turned his full attention to Sly.

"Easy there big papa." Sly said. Even though Locke was normally about twice Sly's age, in his time there were about the same." As I was just saying if you shot me you might hurt this kid." He gripped baby Knuckles by his ankle and held him upside down, forcing him to cry even harder.

"Release him!" Locke commanded.

"If you insist." Sly said with a shrug of his shoulders. Sly reached out the window with the baby and quick as a snap let go.

"NO!" yelled Locke. He tried to blast Sly but the master thief jumped out as well but safely glided into the air. But baby Knuckles just kept falling.

"NO!" yelled Carmelita. With little regard for her own safety Carmelita dived forward and out the window.

"Carmelita!" yelled Sly." NO!" Carmelita flew down and was able to catch the baby in her arms. But now there was another problem, she was now falling to the ground and had no way of stopping herself.

But luckily Locke swooped down and grabbed her. Then he landed feet first onto the ground keeping Carmelita and his son safe.

"Thank you." Carmelita said getting to her feet.

"No." Locke said." Thank you. You have saved my son's life. I am sorry if I hurt you before." It was strange for Carmelita to see Locke like this. From what Knuckles had told her he was a stubborn, grumpy old man as a short-tempered but here he was a kind forgiving father. Evidently there was a history between the father and son she didn't know about.

"I'm just happy to have helped." She smiled looking down at the bundle in her arms. Baby Knuckles had stopped crying as he turned his head to look up at Carmelita. It was strange to be in a romantic relationship with someone you see as an adult when you're holding them in your arms as a baby. Baby Knuckles giggled as he reached up his little arms to give Carmelita a hug.

But then the ball of light flew overhead getting her attention. Carmelita followed it and saw it showed Sly Cooper hovering in the air.

"This isn't over Carmelita!" he yelled. The Policewoman watched as Sly Cooper came down to the ground. Without a moment to lose she handed the baby Knuckles off to his father and went to confront this time-jumping criminal. But the second he touched the group Sly began to disappear. To Carmelita it was the same way Knuckles had disappeared before.

But this was a good thing. Since Sly Cooper had failed in his attempt to wipe Knuckles out of existence he himself had faded from existence and back to his own time. However Carmelita turned her attention from the vanished Cooper to the real one still tied to a tree.

"Here." Said Carmelita handing the baby over to his father." I've got something to take care of."

"Wait!" called Locke." Who are you, what is your name?" Carmelita hesitated for a moment, maybe it wasn't a good thing her giving her name it might mess up the timeline even more.

"I'm just an officer of the law doing my duty sir." She said turning back to him. Locke accepted that answer and nodded his head." My only request of you is to keep him safe." She pointed to the baby.

"I will." He said nodding his head. Carmelita then turned to go and deal with the last problem she had, Sly Cooper.

Still tied to the tree he looked up to see her lurking over him with a scowl on her face. He could only smile sheepishly in reply.

"On your feet!" she commanded uncuffing him from the tree and putting his hands behind his back in one move.

"So needless to say this didn't go as planned." Sly said softly.

"Speak for yourself Cooper." She said giving him a push." You may not have gotten what you wanted but I sure did." By thwarting Sly she had put the timeline back into order, meaning Knuckles would be alive." It's all over." She smiled with pride.

"I don't think so." Smirked Sly. He may not be as strong or as fast as some other people but Sly was defiantly more agile. With a quick jump he moved his hands under his legs and in front of himself. While doing so he managed to reached back and snatch the time machine from around her neck.

"COOP-!" was all she managed to yell as Sly completed his trick and click the time machine. Once again the area around them began to melt like wet paint. Sly had done it again he was setting back time." Oh no you don't!" Carmelita yelled as she lunged forward and grabbed him. The two began struggling and the time machine clock was clicked several more times. But it wasn't meant to be pressed that quickly in such a small amount of time so some strange things started to happen.

Everything was a blaze of colors. They passed the Eifel Tower, Corneria, Angel Island all in the blink of an eye. And then slowly in their struggle Sly began to gain the upper hand. He squeezed his leg up and between them and with one swift kick sent Carmelita flying onto her back.

One moment she was traveling through time and the next she was laying face down in sand. Growling she picked herself up and wiped it out of her eyes. Looking forward she saw the bright yellow sun high in the sky reflecting off the endless sands below. Carmelita put a hand up to shield her eyes. Not too far ahead she could see the pyramids, but there saw something worse going on.

The Pyramids were being built but with the race of Echidnas as slaves. And looking over them as them on the pyramids above was the master Emerald the emerald Knuckles was sworn to protect. And standing there with the Emerald looking down over everyone was Sly Cooper.