Disclaimer: I don't own any Sly Cooper characters; they belong to Sucker Punch.

Claimer: I own all of my original characters.

Alright, this is the last chapter in the flashback part of this story but I'm pretty sure that this story will surpass 11 chapters, finally (: I do hope for more reviews but I've decided to go ahead and post this chapter due to the amount of hits to it. But I do appreciate reviews and I hope you'll leave one and let me know what you think.

Chapter 5: Rocks Will Roll

Strangely enough, I find that wondering aimlessly though a weed and vine infested jungle is actually easier to do than sneak around through a crowded city while on a job. There are a lot less guards or people out to get me arrested, and the fact that when I was a child I always explored the woods next to my dad's help was also an added bonus. After I stole the key from Tokyo, Japan, we took a plane to Peru to get the last one. We tried to do recon around the area but the jungle was too thick so they sent me in. We did know that it's in the temple somewhere in the jungle; I just had to find it. After I found the temple I would have to get in there somehow and find the key. After I found the key, I'd have to steal it in such a way that it didn't set off any type of traps. After that, I'd have to maneuver out and find my way through the jungle back to the hideout. I stepped on a log and looked around to see if I could spot anything useful. My head whipped around when I heard something rustle the bushes behind me. I went on the defensive and was ready to hit anything that came out of the shrubs. The rustling got closer as I crouched down and got ready to pounce.

I stood up fully and felt like a complete idiot when I realized the 'attacker' from the bushes was only a squirrel. I sighed and laughed at myself before returning to my semi-recon mission. I figured that if I continued going forward at least a mile and didn't see anything I'd change my course. I continued my trek through the thick weeds in silence. I hoped that I would find the temple today and we could get out of the country and into Australia. Then after my mission in Australia was done I could go home and get on with my life. I leapt over fallen trees and logs and was ready to turn to another direction when I saw that the land was starting to get flat and a temple finally came into my vision. The temple was rather large and of course, the entryway was at the top of a huge flight of stairs. I groaned as I started climbing the stairs and realized this would take a while.

"You couldn't pay me to do this everyday." I muttered to myself when I finally reached the top of the stairs. I turned to look at the view and I could pretty far out. I could see to the edge of the jungle and to the town we were staying in. I took out the flashlight Sitka had given me and turned it on before entering the old, run down temple. Being in the middle of now where, I had no signal for my earpiece and was on my own for this mission. I didn't mind it though; I was usually good at finding things. Even though I had climbed a good thirty feet, I still hadn't reached the top of the structure. I figured that the key would be somewhere near the top of the building. I decided that I would climb my way through the building and work my way down. It was certainly dark in the old temple but at least I had a flashlight and backup batteries. It was also had an eerie silence inside but I ignored it for the time being. I rounded a corner cautiously and clung to the walls. Like in the woods, I whirled around quickly when I heard footsteps behind me when I had stopped moving.

I waited in my location to see if anyone had followed me inside. When no one showed up, I continued walking down the corridor until I saw a natural light source. I sun was shining in brightly though an opening in the ceiling a few yards away from me. I decided to follow the ambient light to see if that would lead me anywhere decent. I clicked the flashlight off once I was inside the section of the temple that was naturally lit. It was a rather large room that was completely empty except for a pedestal in the middle of the room. I walked up slowly and observed the top of the pedestal and my ears perked.

"Well isn't this like an Indiana Jones movie?" I muttered as I looked at the key on the stone slab. I was somewhat surprised to find that it was this easy to find one small key inside such a large temple. So, there was a catch somewhere. I observed the slab and noticed it was a pressure plate and there was no telling what would happen if I took of the counterweight; the key. I searched around the room for a rock or something to use as a makeshift counterweight. I spotted a small one a foot or two away and I picked it up with ease. I knew I would have to do this carefully and rather slowly. It took over ten minutes for me to make the switch but I eventually got they key off without setting off any alarms.

"That's called stealing, you know?" I heard the all too familiar voice fill the room.

"This is called borrowing in my book." I turned around and I raised an eyebrow to Sly. He was leaning against the entryway to the room with a smirk on his face.

"It's only considered borrowing if you return the item." I thought about his reply and agreed.

"Then I guess I'm stealing." He snorted a laugh before continuing.

"You know, there are different terms for this, it just depends on who takes the item in question." I placed the key in my pouch before speaking.

"Do explain." He got up off the frame and leisurely walked towards me.

"I will, now, if a guy like me would have taken that key, people would consider it stealing. But, if a very pretty lady like yourself took it, it'd be something else."

"And what would the outside people call it?" I crossed my arms and again raised an eyebrow.

"Borrowing." He gave a wink and I giggled.

"What are you doing here, I though you said you didn't have a job to pull for a month or so?" by this time he was standing in front of me and kicked a small pebble with his foot.

"Change of plans, actually. Bentley decided that it would be better to go ahead and get our pending jobs out of the way and relax later. However, we're still planning things out so I had nothing to do. I got bored, explored outside, I saw you enter the temple all by your lonesome self and I just had to come in and say hello," he glanced to the now keyless pedestal before setting his gaze on me, "and I see that you got your last piece of the puzzle before the big heist."

"I did. If I can get a place out of Peru by tomorrow I'll be in Australia by Tuesday and if things go right, most of my problems will be gone by Wednesday."

"What are you planning to do with this guy, anyway?" he tilted his head and gave me a sideways glance.

"I want him in jail; forever. If he's in jail he gets to think about why he's there. If he's dead, he gets the cowards way out and doesn't pay for what he did." He nodded before we both went on the alert. We both heard the low rumblings and the pebbles, rocks, and dust on the ground started to move. Rocks from the back of the room started falling from the ceiling and I quickly looked at the pedestal where the key had been. The pebble I had placed there had somehow shifted off the stone and the trap had been triggered. As larger rocks started falling, I felt Sly grab my paw quickly and firmly before bolting for the door. We both ran through the hallways while more rocks started falling and the rumbling got louder.

"Run faster!" he shouted when the walls started crumbling down. He still had me by the wrist as we ran and head the building crumble behind us. The falling rocks and wall pieces somehow pushed a pile of rather large boulders over which caused them to roll behind us. As we ran I couldn't help but think about how clichéd this entire endeavor was. Getting a key out of an ancient temple, only to have the trap go off anyway and had a huge bolder chase us through the place. While I thought of this, I didn't realize that he had suddenly stopped so we wouldn't plunge over the edge of the stone which had ended in a sheer drop off. I ran into him hard enough to cause his to loose his balance and topple over the cliff and since he still had me in his grasp, I went tumbling with him. Our paws had separated as we tumbled but he was still ahead of me a good bit. We both let out grunts, groans, and curses as we rolled down the side of the stone building. I then wondered why I didn't hear him ahead of me anymore and I soon realized why. I continued to roll until I completely rolled off another steep cliff. Instead of hitting the ground, I landed on Sly, who had fallen off a moment before I did. I landed vertically on his chest when my foot snagged the lip of the ledge. He had landed horizontally on the ground and gave a loud groan when I impacted his chest.

"Sorry," I said as I rolled off him to the left and onto the grass. We were both in pain but miraculously nothing was broken.

"Don't worry about it." He huffed while we both tried to regain our breathing. I was momentarily thrown off guard when I felt his arm wrap around my waist and quickly get pulled in his direction. I understood why he did so after my back hit his chest and the boulder that had chased us landed close to where I just was. If he hadn't have moved me, I more than likely would have gotten smashed into a pancake.

"Thanks for that." I muttered after the dust had settled.

"Anytime," we both eventually regained our normal breathing, "Well that certainly was exciting," I realized my back was still pressed against his chest and his arm was still locked securely around my waist, "Want to do it again?" I twisted my head and shot him an annoyed glance.

"I think I'll sit that one out." he laughed briefly before releasing the grip he had on my waist. We both rolled onto our back and sighed.

"Well the temple's smaller. If you have to climb back up there it won't be as bad." I thumped his chest before frantically searching my pouch.

"Don't tell me you dropped it in there." We both sat up while I continued looking though my pouch. We both sighed when I pulled it out of my bag.

"It's good, I've got it." we were both laughing by this point at the thought of going though all of that only to loose the key.

"Good, you scared me for a minute." He placed a paw on the back of my neck and squeeze it reassuringly, "Just do me a favor and don't hurt yourself why you get to this guy's headquarters, got it?" his expression was serious and I nodded.

"Trust me, I'll try." He squeezed my neck again before kissing my temple and standing. He helped me up and we both made the long journey back to our hideouts.

Alright, that's the last of the flashback chapters and the next chapter will start off where chapter 1 left off.

My lungs burned and I was running out of air. I couldn't go back to the grate for more air. Water was still flowing and the top would be overflowed. My shout wasn't that long and it would be a worthless attempt. I lungs were on fire and I was starting to see black spots in my vision. I couldn't believe that I was so close to realizing my goal only have be beaten by water. I was lightheaded and disoriented. I didn't know up from down and I was seeing more black spots. I couldn't help but think of everything I had been through to get to this stage and everything was flashing by inside my brain. I though of everything as I released my breath and the black spots became a blob and took over both my vision and thinking powers. I felt myself hit the ground gently as I slipped out of reality and into my own thoughts.