What is up everyone? I'm back and with a new chapter too! Let me tell you writers block is no joke! So first off I apologize for the long wait and I do
hope it's worth it. Before I go any farther I simply must give a shout out to Sooo Mungry. If I have any YouTubers reading this story please check
out his channel. His play throughs of the game have seriously helped me out with the story. And now without further ado I give you Chapter 15:
Rumble Down Under
Disclaimer: Sly, Neyla, the gang, and all Sly Cooper related content belongs to Sanzaru games.
Chapter 15: Rumble Down Under
Over three months had passed since Venice and life for the gang seemed to have returned to normal. With the return of Murray, the gang was back to it's former
glory and expanded with Neylas official joining of the team. After Venice they decided to take it easy for a while. In that time the gang kept themselves busy in there
own ways. Bentley continued to look over the lay out of fortress in search of weaknesses, Sly and Neyla kept their cash flowing with daily pick-pocketing runs, and
Murray worked out to get back into fighting shape. But not all was well as they were finding out.
"Winner: Neyla!" said the voice of the game they were playing.
"Sorry boys, looks like I win again." Neyla said getting up from her seat. The gang however was just stunned.
"How can she be that good?" Bentley said in defeat.
"One hundred straight wins in a row and no losses." Sly said perched on top of the couch.
"Don't worry boys, one day I'm sure you'll beat me." Neyla replied to Sly and Bentley. But when she looked at Murray, he seemed troubled.
"What's wrong big guy? " Neyla asked startling Murray from his thoughts.
"Sorry guys, but I think I'm done with video games for tonight." Murray said giving a heavy sigh.
"Come on Murray talk to us." Sly said getting off of his perch, and sitting down in a chair next to Neyla.
"It's nothing guys, really." Murray said unconvincingly.
"Murray me and Sly know you well enough to know something's up, so come on tell us." Bentley said. Murray saw that there was no way out, so taking a deep sigh
he mustered his will and began to share his thoughts.
"Well it's like this guys. I've enjoyed being back in the gang and all, but I just haven't felt right these past few months." Murray said.
"How come Murray?" Neyla asked.
" Well… because I stopped my training without my Guru's permission, I've felt like I just ditched him because he probably thinks I'm still on my journey." Murray said
a tear rolling down his cheek. The gang saw he was in pain right now and thought about how they were going to help him. Then Neyla had an idea.
"Well Murray what if we took you to go see him?" Neyla said, getting the attention of all three of the men.
"What?" Murray asked.
"What if we take you to go see your Guru?" Neyla replied. After realizing what was said, Sly and Bentley smiled.
"That sounds like a good idea Neyla." Bentley said. Murray was surprised to see this.
"You guys would do that for me?" Murray said new tears forming in his eyes.
"Of course we would. We're friends Murray, and friends help each other no matter what." Sly said to his friend. Hearing this Murray cracked a smile and let his tears
run free.
"You guys are the greatest!" Murray said through tears.
"In that case, all in favor of taking Murray to go see his teacher?" Neyla said extending her had out.
"Aye." Sly said putting his hand on top of hers.
"Count me in." Bentley said putting his hand on top of Slys.
"Thanks guys." Murray said putting his hand on top.
"All for one…" Neyla started.
"And one for all!" the gang said together breaking the hand pile. After that they separated to begin their preparations for the journey. Two days later, the four of them
were on a plane to the Australian Outback. On the way there Murray kept them entertained with stories of his training with the Guru and about the Guru himself. He
told them that the Guru was capable of extraordinary feats, and had used his mastery of the Dreamtime to blend into his surroundings and even take control over the
weak minded. As Sly listened to the stories he became more and more interested about meeting him. In order to get a crack at the Cooper Vault they needed to
expand their ranks. This Guru sounded like a prime recruit.
"Attention passengers, please stay seated, we are now beginning our descent." the captain said through the speaker. They fastened their belts as the plane landed.
Once outside they gathered their belongings and followed Murray as he lead them to the Guru. By the time they arrived the sun was just starting to set.
"I'm serious, you guys are going to like the Guru, I wonder if…" Murray started before he turned around and froze. "Oh no." he whispered. The gang rushed to where
he was standing and saw exactly what caused him to freeze. In place of what was supposed to be the Gurus campsite was what looked exactly like a mining
settlement. A vast number of drills and machinery were ravaging the land, miners were constantly patrolling the area for intruders, and a lake of waste had formed at
the other side of the land.
"Master…" was all Murray said as he fell on his knees and broke into tears. All the gang could do was comfort their friend. Once Murray had regained his composure,
the gang's first priority was finding a safe house. Luckily they were able to find an abandoned mining shanty, at the far end of the mining compound. Once they set
up shop, and made some repairs to their new hideout, they got to work. Their first priority was to find out where the Guru was. Sly and Neyla volunteered for the job.
Murray gave them two locations to investigate. One was a cave that overlooked the entire valley and the other was his hut which seemed to embarrass him just
talking about it.
"He doesn't really hang out at his hut, on account of the smell." Murray said.
"The smell?" Sly asked.
"It's a long story… I had to apologize to him up and down for like a month before he'd speak to me again." Murray explained.
"What'd you do?" Neyla asked curiously.
"The unspeakable Neyla… the unspeakable." Murray said. The conversation ended there as Sly and Neyla exited the hideout. Once outside they spoke.
"Well that was… interesting." Neyla said. Sly nodded in agreement.
"So who's covering the cave and who's going to the hut?" Neyla asked Sly showing obvious discomfort about investigating the latter.
"Leave the hut to me." Sly said earning a look of surprise from the tigress.
"Really?" Neyla asked. Sly responded by giving her a gentle kiss on the lips. Since Venice the two had become considerably close. But they decided to keep their
relationship a secret from Bentley and Murray not knowing how they would react. After they broke the kiss a deep blush appeared on Neylas cheeks.
"Alright Sly. I'll take care of the cave. But be careful. These miners look like they mean business." Neyla said. Sly nodded and then the two took off to their
destinations. Both locations were high up, but thankfully there were plenty of wall hooks to be used for climbing. Neyla was the first to make it to her location. But to
her disappointment the cave was empty.
"Sorry Murray, the caves empty." Neyla said earning a sigh from Murray. Then she turned her binocucom towards the Gurus hut.
"Why don't you switch over to Sly?" Neyla asked. Murray nodded then the connection ended. Neyla sat down and waited in case Bentley had further instructions for
her.
As Sly finished examining the hut he called it in.
"Sorry Murray, nobody's home and by the looks of it, I'd say the Guru was fighting someone or something off here. I'm starting to think the miners might have gotten
to him." Sly said.
"You might be right. They'd come in and be all angry and he'd be all peaceful and they'd just get ticked. Then he'd try to find "a middle way" and they'd just go crazy
and smash everything up and then haul him off!" Murray said anger starting to enter his voice.
"Where do you think they might have taken him?" Sly asked.
"They got him! My masters a goner!" Murray said in a panicked voice. Then in a few moments the binocucom switched over to Bentley.
"It's tough to say, but given the layout of the miners' camp I'd venture a guess that they use that with a high fence as a makeshift stockade." Bentley said. As Sly
panned the area he spotted the area in question.
"Hmm, looks like there might be a way up using that cliff below. Shouldn't be a problem." Sly said pointing his binocucom towards a cliff full of wall hooks.
"Alright I'll contact Neyla to meet you over there. But watch out for that gyro-copter, I'm positive it's what gave away the Guru's position." Bentley said.
"Good tip, thanks, pal." Sly said as the connection ended and after he put away his binocucom, he began to make his way to the cliff. Oh his way there he saw
Bentley was right about the gyro-copter. Every so often the thing would drop down a bundle of lit dynamite which would alert nearby guards. It gave him trouble a
couple of times, but he managed to make it to the cliff. Once he reached the location he was met by Neyla.
"There you are. I was wondering if you got lost or something." Neyla joked.
"Not lost, an annoying helicopter was giving me trouble." Sly said. Neyla giggled then the pair jumped from the building they were on and onto the area where the
fence was. When they were near the fence they were met by a small purple koala bear, who had his hair wrapped in a red bandanna, a beard with two braided
strands, wearing a loincloth. Sly was the first to speak.
"You must be the Guru. We're good friends of Murray's, he's come asking to be released from his training." Sly said.
"Has he now?" the Guru asked.
"Sure, just let us bust you out of here and we'll go talk to him." Sly said.
"I can't leave without my staff and Moon Stone." the Guru replied.
"You seriously won't leave without your gear?" Neyla asked.
"Not just that. Even if I got them back the miners have angered the Dreamtime spirits by ravaging this land preventing me from using my abilities.
The sacred sites must be purified to appease them." the Guru said.
"We can see that the miners have done a number on your land here. As for your walking staff and Moon Stone, me and my gang have a real talent for stealing back
things that were wrongfully taken." Sly replied. This seemed to have earned a smile from the mystic.
"Your help is most appreciated. and if possible I would like to speak to the rest of your team so I can judge their spiritual centers." the Guru said. Sly
nodded and was about to leave. But Neyla had a few questions for the Guru.
"Um… Mr. Guru is it? I have a question." Neyla asked.
"Speak child." the Guru replied.
"For the past few months I've been dealing with amnesia. If you got your powers back, would you be able to help me out with that?" Neyla asked. The Guru thought
for a bit before he answered.
"Come closer child." the Guru said. Neyla did as she was told and move closer. From there the Guru closed his eyes and went into almost a meditative trance. When
his eyes opened again he appeared troubled.
"Well?" Neyla asked.
"It is possible for me to help with your amnesia, but I feel a dark presence lurking in you. Be vigilant, for these miners have unearthed a power that
could draw out that darkness." the Guru said. This troubled Neyla, but it brought her some comfort that he could help with her amnesia. After their conversation,
they headed back to the safe house.
"MY MASTERS ALIVE!" Murray boomed as he did a little victory dance joyful that his master was alive and well.
"So what exactly did he tell you?" Bentley asked. From there Sly and Neyla filled him and Murray in on all the details. A few hours after that Bentley called in everyone for a briefing of their next moves.
"Alright everyone thanks to Sly and Neyla, we know the Guru won't leave the stockade until he has his walking staff and his Moon Stone. He also insists we purify
Ayers Rock of all miners. Only then will the Dreamtime Spirits be appeased, and the Guru will be free to use his powers." He started.
"Sly and Neyla must have impressed him with in their conversation because he is requesting that Murray and I meet him individually." Bentley said. Then he started
his slide show. The first slide showed the entrance to a cave.
"I've discovered a passage through one of the miners caves that should make getting up to the Guru much easier." He continued. Then the picture switched to a
picture of a golden mask with four tassels below it and a ring on either side.
"According to Neyla, the Guru also mentioned that the miners have foolishly unearthed the Mask of Dark Earth. I'm guessing it was his job to guard the thing and
now that it's out bad things are sure to follow." Bentley said skeptically. Then the slideshow ended.
"It sounds like mumbo jumbo to me but we have dealt with some unexplainable phenomenon in the past, so I'm not ruling it out as a threat to our operation."
Bentley finished.
"When do we start?" Sly asked.
"7:00 P.M. tomorrow. For now get some rest." Bentley said. They nodded and all headed to there rooms. Before he headed to bed Bentley couldn't help but think on
what Neyla told him earlier during their debriefing. She had told him that the Guru felt a dark presence lurking in her. Could that presence be linked to Neylas night
terrors? He pushed the thoughts out of his head then went to go rest.
And there you guys have it! If you enjoyed it or have areas I can improve in, please leave a Review or shoot me a PM. I might have a little trouble
incorporating Evil Neyla into the story and I might leave her out until the Holland Operation. But for now I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and
I'll begin work on chapter 16 ASAP! Till then see you next time!