Trinity: Greetings once again loyal viewers and welcome back to the adventure of Sly as a Cooper.
SQ (from backstage): Hey, that's my line.
(Audience applauds and cheers)
SQ: (walks out on stage) Glad to be back. Sorry for the wait. (sweat drop) A lot happened and I finally got around to other fanfictions I've been meaning to upload...for years… (clears throat) There's something I've been wanting to bring up for some time though it's sort of irrelevant to the story at this point. In the first episode when Sly meets up with Neyla in a mission, I wasn't sure what I supposed to do. When I was chasing her, I caught up to her and whacked her with Sly's cane, but the mission was reset saying something like "Neyla is on your side. She would not want to be hit either." Yeah, I bet. I ended up chuckling a bit later when Neyla betrayed the Cooper Gang because I thought "I did the right thing! I should have been allowed to hit her more!" Etcetera, etcetera… As a note, this chapter is the final one of Episode 3…and the next is sort of a time filler chapter (mostly cause I've thought of Natasha having quality time with Faye). I had "fixed" my television (messed it up a bunch and actually took it apart to do so), but ended up getting a used one months later. Shortly after I had screwed up my TV, I recorded Episode 4…in one hour and fifty minutes (new record!). Oh how I loathe the Contessa… Ahem. I need to figure out a general plot for the Episode and I'll be able to type it up in the needed chapters, perhaps even faster than this one (read: less chapters). In any case, roll the nineteenth chapter!
Disclaimer: I own no copyrights to Sly Cooper or any related material. Though maybe someday I will…and Murray will have Sly's hat, sneaking around while humming his own theme song called "The Murray" …or something.
Note: The phrase "The Murray" will now be in italics without the "" (The Murray).
Caution: Do not hate the author for what Rajan says during this chapter.
Chapter 19: The Fall of a 'Prestigious' Man
Faye was, for a lack of a better word, utterly speechless. Rajan sat behind his smooth, brown stone desk, elbows on the surface and his fingers intertwined as his chin rested on them. The surrounding torches made the tiger seem a little more frightening than usual, although it was nice to be warm for once, not that Faye was dwindling on the comfort of it. Oddly enough, the water bug was not in the room. In fact, it seemed to be another room all together, as there was a portrait of Rajan on the wall behind him, a globe on a sidetable in the corner behind him, a safe in the adjacent nook, and a length of carpet extending from the front of the desk to a hole in the wall on the opposite side leading out into a hall. Of course there was also the single bed that Faye had awoken upon, tilted up a bit for more comfort, and a small table next to her with a variety of fruit such as grapes and apples. She barely noticed in her surprised state the item that the Cooper Gang had been searching for sitting beside Rajan's left side: half of the Clockwerk heart tied to a long piece of wood. Though in the brief moment Faye sat in shock, she only succeeded in observing Rajan and his cryptic eyes. The fearsome tiger must have recognized her surprise as he said,
"I'm sorry to have frightened you, Miss Faytin. I spotted that despicable primate taking off with you and I couldn't have that. I immediately sent out my men to retrieve you and had them bring you back here." Faye took a couple of deep breaths as she brought down her hands from the slight headache she had, thinking,
"He still thinks of me as Faytin. Come on… I've got to be truthful…and careful so he won't rip me into so many shreds later." She lifted her right hand to her forehead and brought her bangs up, flattening them against her head. She looked down a moment and said, taking caution as to what she spoke,
"I-I'm sorry. I just was not expecting to see you so soon." She peered up at Rajan, still a bit nervous as she dropped her hand as he replied,
"As am I, which begs the question: what are you doing out here?"
"Crud!" Choosing her words carefully, Faye said gently,
"I came looking for you."
"How did you find me here?" Faced with another inquiry, Faye quietly and leisurely said, making sure not to cross any specifics,
"Well…after you left the party, I noticed one of the trees had a…rather large gash while I was leaving. A couple of nice people volunteered to be my guides," her head drooped, "but I became separated from them and I have no idea how they are fairing right now." Rajan lowered his hands, his teeth gleaming in the torches' light as he stated,
"I'm sorry to hear that…" he paused, "Did not Inspector Fox and Constable Neyla catch you at the gala?"
"What is he, an interrogator?"
"Oh, no," Faye rose her face, answering politely, "I managed to get away in the confusion. I did not expect the night's events to play out like that."
"Neither did I," said Rajan, finally giving a small break in the questioning. He momentarily glimpsed at the cloth wrapped around Faye's left forearm and gave one little inquiry, "You are injured?" Faye's eyes bulged a bit.
"Dang it! If he finds out about the Klaww symbol, I'm dead!" She peered over at her hidden scar and slightly shrugged, saying as she looked back at Rajan,
"I-It's just a scratch. I'll be fine."
"Dang it, I stuttered!" Rajan spoke with solemnity,
"Even a scratch can be deadly out here." He clapped twice, "Guards!" A rhino and goat appeared at the opposite end of the room, directly in the path of the tiger. "Get my guest a first-aid kit, now!" He roared out the last of his demand, making the guards and Faye tremble as they bolted out of sight. He turned back to Faye. "I'm sorry if I frightened you, my dear." Faye's breath came out in small shudders as she put a somewhat clenched right hand to herself below her neck. Rajan seemed to ease in his seat, smiling and avoiding showing his teeth. It was if he was trying not to be intimidating.
"Miss Faytin…" he began, "Please, make yourself comfortable. Coming all the way out here must have been tiring." Faye's breathing nearly returned to normal as she nodded.
"I would rather not go through that…horrid jungle ever again."
"You don't have to." The rhino and goat guard came back along with several monkeys, the second carrying a white first-aid kit and the first holding a large, fine oaken case with red velvet lining. Rajan stood from his chair, which had violet velvet on its back and seat, and extended his hands out to the case.
"Ah…here it is," he said. He turned to Faye. "I was awaiting the day we would meet again, no matter the odds." He lifted the lid on the chest, attached by hinges, and took pride at its contents. "Come look, Miss Faytin." Faye, not wanting to offend her powerful host, brought her hands to her sides and lifted herself from the bed. She peered into the case and beheld what seemed to be a folded up garb of turquoise with gems of many colors around the neck as it set in the same color velvet embroidering the case. Alongside it was a pair of sapphire shoes with ends that curved up and back over the footwear. With quiet 'ooks' and 'acks,' the primates hopped on top of one another until they were slightly above the rhino. The top one took the clothing and allowed gravity to unfurl it as he held it up. Faye barely gasped at the beauty of the gown presented. It had long sleeves, wider at the ends than at the shoulders, and the rest came down a bit over a foot above the floor.
"Miss Faytin," said Rajan, the girl in question glancing towards him, "Please, allow my guards to treat your wound. Afterwards, I would like it if you were to change into this." He gestured to the garment before her eyes.
"Faye!" echoed Yami, "Make an excuse; any excuse!" Faye brought a hand to her mouth and closed her eyes for but a moment, taking deep breaths to steady herself. She stated gingerly,
"Rajan…I mean no offense whatsoever, but," it seemed that a frown was slowly forming on his face, "I would rather dress the wound myself if you did not mind. …Besides, I need to take care of…" Faye closed the gap between her and his ear, whispering, "some private matters." Rajan cleared his throat as Faye back up a bit,
"Oh… Right, right." He breathed in and pointed out the door, "The bathroom is down the hall, third door to the left." Unsure of native customs, Faye bowed and spoke softly,
"Thank you." She stood up and turned to the door, the guards in tow. It was not until she left that Rajan breathed out heavily and returned to his chair, slumping in it. He opened and reached into the top right drawer of his desk, withdrawing a picture of he and Faye dancing at his ball.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/
Faye shut the bathroom door behind her once the guards had left the first-aid kit and gown on a table just feet from the door. Turning back to the room, she realized just how luxurious it was – even for a bathroom. A huge marble spa about the size of a queen bed sat in the center of the room, dipping only slightly into the ground, and a room extended into the back complete with everything a restroom required to accommodate any needs. The torches were surrounded by bowls of some sort of fancy material that failed to melt from their heat. Lastly, the stone walls were smoothed out; the various layers of rocks giving an earthy feel to the room. Faye sighed, untying the cloth on her forearm and gazing upon the deep, inflicted wound which ached whenever she moved her arm. She flipped the latches on the front of the first-aid kit and lifted the lid, peering at the various items inside including gauze, tape, ointment, and insect repellant. As Faye cleaned off her wound in the nearby sink and applied healing salve, Yami said to her,
"You have to contact the Cooper Gang!" Faye rolled her eyes.
"How? I probably lost the-" She put a hand to her right ear and felt the earcom was still there. Looking down, she finally comprehended that her thigh pack was still there too. The only thing missing was her cane, but it would doubtlessly do her no good so deep within the villains' lair. Faye turned the dial to its primary station, the safe house, and walked to the far end of the restroom. She waited a moment to think and murmured,
"This is Siren calling the Nest. Repeat, this is Siren calling the Nest. I'm in the heart of the temple with the Lord of the Hills and the objective…half of it anyway. I don't know how long I can stay on his good side… Call back, Nest." Almost immediately, there was a quiet, nasal response,
"F-…Siren! Thank goodness. What's your status?" A small smile of relief came over her face as she answered,
"I'm still injured from fighting Rexus, and Rajan is…treating me rather nicely. But he's only doing that, because he thinks of me as "Miss Faytin" from his ball."
"Hmm…" Bentley pondered, "We'll try to get you out of there as soon as possible. Just hang on and stay tough."
"Oh, wait! Wait!" Faye interrupted, hoping he and the others would still be listening, "You have to draw him out. Um…" She snapped her fingers, not too loudly of course, and remembered, saying as clearly and swiftly as possible, "Blow the dam! Rip-off the ruby and blow the dam. After that, use the Cherry Bomb 500 from the ruby tradeoff for Operation: Wet Tiger. Bentley, there's a chopper you can use from blowing the dam to give aerial support. Murray, you have to get to the lever near Rajan's office and lift it up. Guards will be coming, so take care of them when you can. Keep your strength up. As Murray begins to lift the lever, bombs will rain down upon him. Bentley, that's where you come in. Take them out and let Murray finish up. Once done, Sly will have to sneak over to the elephant's mouth with the Cherry Bomb 500, set it off, and get to higher ground quick 'cause the entire temple's going to flood."
"What-"
"Hang on…" said Faye, breaking off Bentley's question, "After that, Rajan will come out with the Clockwerk heart," a second's delay – preventing her from giving out dialogue – gave her enough time to recall the events in order, "Wooden stakes will come up from the ground and Neyla will show up. She'll let Sly get close enough to Rajan and his crazy thunderbolts and leave him to be struck by lightning!"
Knocking made Faye gasp and turn to the door. An unfamiliar voice came from the other side,
"Rajan wants to know if you'll be joining him on the balcony."
"Balcony? What balcony? Did I miss something?"
"Oh. Um…" Yami suddenly echoed,
"Say yes, but to give you a few minutes to freshen up."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just say it!"
"Yes, but could you give me a few minutes to freshen up?" The guard spoke,
"Sure. I'll go tell him." Faye let out a sigh of ease then whispered back into her earcom quickly,
"I don't have long. After Sly is knocked out, Rajan will face Murray. Jump onto the lily pads to avoid his electrical discharge and punch him into the barriers around you. After Rajan is knocked out, Neyla and the Contessa will come out to arrest him, Murray, and Sly. Ugh," she groaned, adding, "and Carmelita because Sly danced with her at the ball. I stole," the two words, foreign as they were, barely stopped her from propelling the stream of words from her mouth, "Neyla's camera at the ball, but she might have had another one stashed away somewhere. Bentley gets away – Natasha stay with him in the chopper during the operation – and the rest are hauled off. If I get out of here, I'll tell you guys why I know this and try to help you get ahead of the Klaww Gang's scheme. This is Siren, over and out." With that, Faye turned off the earcom and walked back to the first-aid kit. She wrapped some bandages around her wound – enough to hide the dreaded symbol – and peered at the dress.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/
Rajan gazed out at his decrepit temple, arms crossed as he sighed. From his place on the balcony, the entirety of the ruins was in sight from the waterfalls to the great skull of a gigantic beast on the far side. A rhino guard ambled up behind the egotistic tiger and said,
"Miss Faytin is here, Rajan." He put his paws together and turned, beaming with those pearly teeth. Faye walked forward from the hall behind her, fingers intertwined in front of her as she stepped lightly in sapphire shoes. The garment she had received was as soft as silk and fit her perfectly, which would raise the question: How did Rajan know the correct measurements needed? The only possible way for him to do so with a lack of technology was by the picture he had been – and was at the moment – carrying. Said spice producer opened his arms at the sight of the otherworldly guest.
"Ah! Miss Faytin…you look lovely this evening…" Faye bowed.
"Don't screw up! Don't screw up! If I do, I'm dead!"
"Thank you, Rajan." She straightened herself up, seeing Rajan extend his hand and curve his fingers towards him. Faye drew towards him, strolling forth as Yami voiced to her,
"Stay calm. Ask him to tell more about himself, like where he grew up or how he grew up… No, no. Scratch the second one…" Faye stood beside Rajan as the storm continued, though they were sheltered by a canvas covering above the balcony they were standing on.
"So…" began Rajan, "How do you like that dress? I had it custom made."
"Mr. Pompous butt…" Faye answered in a polite tone,
"It is fine...and very comfortable. What is it made of?" Anything to give the gang more time. Rajan grinned in confidence,
"It is made of the finest silk I could find. I am pleased to say that only royalty could afford such a luxury." Faye took a deep breath and said rather convincingly in an astounded manner,
"Wow…" she brought the fingers of her right hand to her lips and went on, "It must have been expensive…"
"Not when you are as rich as I am." A hint of slyness danced upon Rajan's words, cuing Faye to say,
"Please, you must tell me where you grew up to gain such wealth. It must be quite a story."
"Please ramble on…" Rajan smirked broadly and spoke,
"I grew up in Calcutta…as a wealthy boy in a high-class family. Of course, that meant I had inherited everything my family left me…"
"Blah, blah, blah…" Faye continued to stare up at Rajan, never wavering her gaze as he went on and on about his 'fantastic' family and how he was 'rich to begin with.'
"Different reality, same Rajan. Stroke his ego and he purrs like a ferocious kitten." Faye kept in a chuckle at Yami's comment and thought back,
"I just wonder how the gang is doing. I got through to Bentley, but there's no telling what happened to Natasha, Sly, Murray, or Rexus." After a moment, Yami said,
"Rexus… You know, I think he was in the alternate reality as well. I think he was part of the resistance against the Klaww Gang. …Yes… I remember that he constantly wore army fatigues because he was always out in the field in the pictures I saw… I met him once, but we were on different sides then…"
"Which means he really didn't betray me…" thought Faye, "Not on purpose anyway. But…I just wonder… Why does he have the same energy signal as me?"
"I will try to figure it out. When I have an idea, I will contact you."
"Thanks." Their conversation ended just as Rajan said,
"…and that is when I met you." Faye, with the ever increasing shrewd mind that she had, replied,
"That was quite an interesting story. It is a shame that the ball ended so abruptly, though." I really could have gotten Neyla then, or at least have tried to save Rexus…
"Yes…" Rajan merely muttered, peering out at the vast view of the temple. After an awkward three second silence, he spoke again, "Miss Faytin," he turned to her, "will you stay here, by my side…" He reached into his pocket, pulled out a fairly large, cerulean box, and knelt down on one knee, continuing, "…as my fiancée?" He opened the case in his claws and revealed a rather large diamond on a comparatively tiny, gold ring.
The reaction was instantaneous; Faye immediately pressed her hands against herself and gasped as she took a few steps back. Her throat constricted and an icy chill slithered down her spine. She mentally screamed ceaselessly at the very notion. After a moment, she noticed her mouth was open and quickly shifted her hands to cover it. Her heart pounded. Her mind raced. Her stomach lurched. Every fiber was on edge. Every thought vanished except for that solitary question. She began to hyperventilate quietly. If she did not snap out of her shock soon, chances were that that she would either faint or have a heart attack.
Boom! Ka-crack! Rajan and Faye, who had finally restrained herself from shrieking in her mind, snapped their heads and attention to the dam above them, the latter barely breathing from shock. A missile from a helicopter had hit the stone structure and produced a fracture partway down it from the top. Rajan growled deeply and pocketed the ring, calling out,
"Men! Escort Miss Faytin into the back of the temple!" He turned to her and continued, "Your safety is top priority, Miss Faytin. I will meet with you later." With that, Rajan rushed into the temple, dodging two rhinos and a goat who were marching towards Faye. All the while, the dam was assaulted by a lone helicopter whose pilot knew well of where to shoot, though could not stop a piece of the structure from crashing on the opposite side of the balcony, landing just inches from the bewildered teen. Her hair instinctively stood on end, but she could care less as the guards escorted her away. Trauma-induced adrenaline coursing through her veins, Faye was lead in shock down the hall, never hearing a word any of the guards uttered. Neither did she hear Rajan saying over the intercom,
"All forces, defend the temple now! A barrel of spice to the gunship who brings down that person." The word 'Bentley' wove through Faye's mind, coming within reach then disappearing into the depths of her subconscious. When she had finally regained her composure, the explosions from outside had ceased and she finally took in her surroundings. Somehow in the ancient temple, Rajan had a flight pad for helicopters constructed in what seemed to be a recently hollowed out cavern with a circular iron roof that opened as the two halves retracted into the earth and stone. There were a few helicopters left, each armed with a gun of some kind. The guards who ushered her there were in high alert at the only exit, keeping watch over anyone or anything that dared to cross them.
"Alert!" boomed Rajan once again over the intercom, "Perimeter is under assault. Put down this attack!"
"What?" thought Faye, "Wasn't that something from Operation: Wet Tiger or something? But how? …Unless…they ripped off the ruby early and began the operation right after blowing the dam! Now that's breaking the rules!" She stole a peak at the guards. They were still peering down the hall. "Let's see… I have to time this right. Murray lifts the lever, Bentley destroys the bombs, Sly comes in with the barrel, and then I have to show up… That's about…seven minutes minimum to get out there."
"Miss Faytin!" called a masculine voice. She turned to see a goat in one of the helicopters in the driver's seat. "I have orders from Rajan to get you out of here!"
"Messed up, but I'll take it." Faye nodded and silently entered the helicopter through its open door as the goat pushed buttons and moved pedals to engage it. The blades on top whirred into motion, lifting the machine into the air. The steel roof parted, allowing the helicopter to rise into the night sky. Just when she was able to see solid ground a few feet below the chopper, Faye leapt from it through the still-open door, the goat shouting at her questions and commands to come back though she hardly heard him. Faye tumbled to the ground and got to her feet, immediately sprinting ahead after seeing what was around her. Trees still surrounded her and a wide river was to her right, rushing ahead. Faye took no time to halt for snakes, small spiders (which she did not notice how close she came to them), or even to contact the others on her earcom. There were explosions in the distance as she grew closer to the action.
"The bombs! Just how quick is this all going? Faye breathed hard as she began to jog and quick-walk alternatively. "Did they plan to successively pull off the operation's parts? But…why?"
"For you, I would imagine," said Yami, voicing her opinion. "They probably wanted to lure out Rajan quickly in order to save you." Then it came into sight. The massive skull was in view as lightning flashed through the heavy rainfall. Faye stopped at the edge next to the dam and caught her breath, thankful that she was not too faraway, and peered below her. She smiled as she spotted a balcony at a satisfactory reach, took several steps back, and dashed to the ledge. She extended her arms forward like a feline, shredded the damp saffron canvas with her claws, and landed safely on the balcony with a small grunt. The bombs ceased as she pushed herself and made her way back through the crowded halls, passing and dodging confused guards of all kinds scrambling here and there frantically. In a minute she had found the door she wanted and burst the door open to reveal a familiar vacant bathroom. Faye took up the first-aid kit and the clothing that she had left earlier and hurried back into the corridor. Figuring that it would lead out to the main area, Faye hastened back down the hall…and it finally fell upon her as her footsteps fell heavy onto the stone floor.
The reality of it all. This was not her world; there were no humans, there was no television, there were no cheat codes, and there was no controller. If she got into trouble, she could not reset a game system. If a boss seemed impossible to beat, she could not keep retrying to find a weakness or effective strategy. She could not write down advice and turn them into a boss tactic to be used again and again. Whatever happened, happened. Each action had a consequence. Each cause had an effect. Each step was another stride into the world of crime. A world in which honor still survived among thieves, but at the same time was as dark as an alley with deceit, foes, and death in every nook and cranny.
"Whatever happens here…" She hung a left. "This will not be my final stand!"
"Black Clouds and Thunder Bolts!" roared Rajan from outside.
"Just how fast are they going out there?"
"My spice temple… Ruined!" She went straight for some meters before turning right into a zigzagging corridor. "I will no longer hide while you villains destroy my hard won empire." She grinned seeing the giant double doors as the egomaniac ranted on, "This place is mine…here I am King! Come, face me Cooper. With Clockwerk's black heart I will show you true power. You are nothing. Come, face the mighty Rajan, lord of these hills."
"Showtime…" Faye forcefully pushed open the doors, each one slamming into a gray stone wall, to the flooded temple, which was an obvious result from the plan that she had told the gang to do. It seemed as though they trusted her enough to follow it through quickly even with her adjustments for Natasha. She stretched out her arms at the sight of Sly, Murray, and Rexus, who stood grasping her staff, at the other end of the stake-riddled bridge stretching out across the drained pond. The teen, as soon as the three set their sights on her, said a bit cheerfully,
"Guess who's back and ready to kick some tail?"
"If I don't start standing up…"
"No! You mustn't…!" shouted Rajan, terror-stricken for but a moment.
"…taking action…" Faye smirked and peered up at him, retorting a little mysteriously,
"Oh, not that. Not who you think."
"…and taking matters into my own hands…" Right on cue, Neyla, with a piece of cloth covering the left half of her face, jumped down from wherever she was and Faye, like a kid in a candy store, beheld a creepy grin, dropped her things, and sped forward across the bridge. "…I'll end up being dead."
"Payback time, Neyla you witch!" She declared comfortably and confidently, easily hopping up to the top of the craggy gate and pouncing towards her. "Banzai!" Sly, Murray, and Rexus just stared at her, perhaps a little shocked that she was in one piece, until Neyla began to shift to her left and pull out her whip. Sly moved to lunge at her, however, Rexus did so first and smacked Faye's cane into Neyla's spine. In the brief moment that she could not move, Faye dug her claws deep into Neyla's shoulders, feeling the bone as the razor sharp nails' blunt ends pressed back against her fingers. Neyla screeched in anguish and Faye, in a single fluid motion, flipped over the tigress's head and onto her feet, her arms bent back behind her as she still clutched Neyla's shoulders. Not wasting a second, she used the momentum of the leap to heave the screaming Neyla over her head with unknown added strength, released her grasp, and flung her into the piranha-infested waters. Faye knelt down and breathed silently, hardly believing what she had just done.
"Hope the piranha find you," she said to herself, waiting for a movie-like return of the constable, growling obscenities at her as she climbed back from the depths of the deluged temple or reached her arms out from the water to pull the teen back with her. But she never rose, at least not immediately. If Neyla had already surfaced, then she was bound to be close by, waiting to strike back. There was no doubt in Faye's mind that she was not dead. Neyla was too ambitious to be killed in a place like Rajan's flooded spice temple by meaningless piranha. No, Neyla was the type to annoyingly keep returning like some sort of teaser villain again and again until someone was strong enough to knock her down for good.
"Welcome back, Faye," said Rexus, snapping Faye out of her concentration. She turned her head towards him to see the golden retriever holding out her cane. "I think you dropped this." Faye nodded, stood up, and wrapped her fingers around the weapon once again. Lightning cracked across the bridge, drawing their attention to the top of the stakes. Sly was making his way over them as Rajan shot bolts of electricity at him.
"The Clockwerk heart…you don't think it can control the forces of nature, do you?" Rexus asked Faye, but she was gone before he had finished his sentence. She could not stop and think about the inquiry while Rajan was still on the attack and the Contessa was lying in wait.
"Uh, Faye…?" spoke Murray as Faye dashed past him to the bridge.
"Not now, Murray," she said back, racing to the very last post before Sly got there. She adjusted the dial on her earcom, since it was more discreet than yelling, and stated quickly, "Sly, fall back. Let me get to Rajan first." She recognized Sly's pause on a post just two meters away as he immediately replied,
"What? You just got away from him! Why would you want to go back?" He leapt to another stake as Faye gave her response,
"Because he'll listen to me. Just trust me...please." There was a sigh from the other side of the line.
"Faye…I hope you know what you're doing." Sly jumped down from the stake, making it seem as though he had missed leaping onto another, and ran back to the start of the bridge.
"Thank you." Faye ended the conversation and bounded onto the nearest pike, clawing her way to the top. Before she had even reached the top, Rajan had spotted her. Faye wobbled on top of it, caught her balance and jumped to the solid roof in front of her, the same surface Sly was supposed to be on before he was to be struck by Rajan's lightning.
"Miss Faytin," began the tiger, "What are you doing here?"
"Never mind that," Faye said seriously, "Interpol is here."
"What? How did they find my spice temple?"
"I don't know, but they're waiting," Faye pointed at index finger out into jungle beyond the flooded parts of the ruins, "just outside the temple, ready to ambush you and the Cooper Gang! Constable Neyla and the Contessa are here, and so is Inspector Fox! Right now, it doesn't matter if the Cooper Gang has half of the Clockwerk heart! There's no way we're getting out of here alone unless we make a temporary truce with the Cooper Gang! Then we can hold an honorable match-"
"No!" bellowed Rajan, "They have ruined my spice temple and have put you in danger! I will not stand aside like a coward as my empire falls! A king must protect his country, kingdom, subjects, and those who stand beside him. I will kill that Cooper and his gang!" Horrified, Faye cried, a slight screech behind her first words,
"No! No more killing! No more vengeance, especially over something that was wrong in the first place! It doesn't matter who wins the battle, Interpol will win the war! We have to decide now what to do or we're all going to jail, Neyla will get your half of the Clockwerk heart, and the Contessa will get the rest of your riches with her hypnotherapy treatments! No one will win this day if Interpol gets their paws on us! So…" Faye voice calmed, though still held a critical tone, "What will y – ahh!" Screeching the last of her words, Faye suppressed the urge to scream as she peered down at her left calf. A crimson dart was sticking out of her skin; the tip embedded in her sinews and muscles. She bent down and, clenching her teeth, quickly pulled out the projectile.
"Miss Faytin!" shouted Rajan. Rage began glowing in his orbs, he bared his gleaming teeth, and in a fear-rendering voice he roared, "Who dares to harm the future fiancée of the mighty Rajan!" Taking a moment to cringe at the word "fiancée," Faye gazed a bit closer at the object that had stricken her. A white blurry symbol was on the opposite side, provoking the teen's curiosity to turn it over.
Terror tore through her blood like the talons of Clockwerk. The mark imprinted on the glass vile was that of a skull and crossbones. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage, beating faster than it ever had before. Hyperventilation took over her breathing. Her vision became obscure. Faye fell to her knees, a coldness filling her stomach. The cane in her hand was limply released, falling to her side with a hollow thud.
"I'm coming!" The voice, even though it sounded far off, was familiar and it took a moment for her to recognize it.
"Cooper!" bellowed Rajan, raising his staff with the second half of the Clockwerk heart.
"No," Faye desperately cried, turning to the "Lord of the Hills" with a tear-stained mask, "it wasn't them! They're not this cold-blooded!" Rajan said fiercely,
"Then who? Who would dare harm you like this?" Before he was even done speaking, a drenched tigress dropped down from above, though from where was unclear. Faye's breathing gradually returned to normal and her eyes ceased welling up. Instead she gritted her teeth, showing them furiously, and grabbed her cane in a fist.
"You! You conniving witch! You poisoned me!"
"I hope you don't mean me," Neyla put a hand just below her neck as she spoke with the same tone she used when talking to Sly, "I don't use anything but this whip and I can assure you that it is not poisonous." Without warning, Rajan roared as any angered tiger would. Whether it was from the knowledge that his supposed fiancée was to die or that he knew not who had cut down her vitality or by some other unknown factor, the Clockwerk heart, as if responding to him, began to tremble and emit a black and scarlet aura. Electricity arced from the heart as the aura enveloped Rajan from head to toe. He growled as he raised his staff, electricity charging in the heart of it. Neyla gasped and leapt away, leaving Faye to seize her staff, roll, and drop off to the bridge below. She landed on three paws as she kept her cane and the ill dart in her right hand, and peered upwards just in time to see a devastating bolt of lightning streak overhead, nearly blinding her as she held up her other hand to her face. A scream, a terrifying cry of agony, churned her stomach and brought forth shrieking words from her throat in well-nigh the same pitch,
"Sly!" So close. He was falling so close to her in an unconscious state. Leaving the cane and dart behind, Faye dashed forward to the limp figure as it descended from the tip of the stake. She extended her arms as the thief landed heavily in them, making her drop to her knees. One arm held up his back while the other was under his knees. Sly's clothes were burnt and smoldering from his cap to his gloves. His cane lay a few feet away with scorched patches all over it. Though what distressed Faye the most was how badly Sly, with his oaken eyes closed, had been injured. His fur was singed, his wounds were bleeding, and she was uncertain of how severe was damage was to him as he breathed raggedly. She could swear, even through her wracked nerves and strangely aching stomach, that a helicopter was flying in the distance, but it was highly unlikely.
Thud! Faye slightly gasped and turned her head around to the source of the noise. Rajan, glaring his now unnaturally bloodthirsty eyes, snarled at her and raised his staff once more. Grasping Sly's body, Faye summoned every bit of strength in her muscles and bones, shifted her legs to get a bit off the ground, and poorly lunged out the line of fire. She turned her attention back to where Murray and Rexus were to see them racing, or in Murray's case, jogging, towards her.
"Guys!" That was all Faye could get out before she had to crudely dodge electricity again in her previous fashion.
"Sly! Faye! I'm coming buddies!" Murray declared loudly, charging towards Rajan and capturing the crazed tiger's focus. Rexus split from the hippo's side and came to Faye's, bending down and sliding his arms near hers to support Sly so she could release him. The two got to their feet and hurried away from Rajan as Murray came at him with tightened fists. There was a guttural growl, the roar of lightning, and a yelp of anguish, making Faye skid to a stop and Rexus pause in his steps. Murray was gone though the splash of water from the relatively drained pond below signaled where he was. Rajan bounded over the side of the bridge and he could be heard saying in an even more savage tone than he had ever uttered before,
"This is it? This is the Cooper Gang I've heard so much about and feared these long hours?"
"This is wrong! This is very wrong!" Faye said, turning to Rexus. "Get to the other end. I need to get something." He nodded, the duo taking off in opposite directions. Even as she rushed, Faye could still overhear the discourse between the maniacal Rajan and The Murray.
"The Murray will renew your fear."
"This is so wrong...ugh…" The pang in her stomach would not leave her and it worsened by the moment.
"Who's The Murray? All I see is a fat pathetic weakling."
"And what was with that aura?" She came to the entrance to the temple where she had left her items before, her head pounding.
"I might be big and not as smart as the other guys…but one thing I'm not…is weak!"
"And why did it come from the Clockwerk heart?" Punches flew and landed in the 'arena' beneath her as the battle began. Faye collected the first-aid kit, her cane, her old clothing, and the corrupt dart from where she had left them and sped back to where Rexus had lied down the master thief. Arriving to the wounded Sly as the fight went on underneath them, Faye placed her things on the ground and opened the kit.
"Here," she said, "This should help, but we need to get him to a hospital or something." They began rummaging through the case, taking out various healing ointments and bandages that had been left over from Faye's treatment.
"You should really be looking for an antidote for that poison." Faye gave a throaty growl and, taking up her cane, stood up, turning around.
"Let me guess," she said glaring at the drenched Neyla, standing with her arms crossed just several feet in front of her, "you got a vulture guard to shoot that dart at me."
"You're not as senseless as you look," she replied casually, "I happen to have the antidote right here." She patted a pocket and briefly produced a small narrow vile of clear liquid from it before placing it back inside. "Of course it-"
"Comes with a price," finished Faye. "Either I die or I give into your demands to get the antidote. I get it." Neyla smirked,
"Good, then I can get right to the point: you come along quietly with The Contessa and me, you don't suffer the same fate as the Cooper Gang, you are not hypnotized by The Contessa, you get to go home, and in return you get the antidote." Faye crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow, and said,
"Or I don't come along with you and The Contessa, I help the Cooper Gang, stay away from The Contessa," she uncrossed her arms, "I still get to go home, and on top of that-" Intentionally cutting off her own sentence, Faye jerked her wrist at 'of,' sending the bottom of her cane upwards and forward into Neyla's stomach. She used more force when it found its mark, leaving the constable breathless. Rexus, on his feet by then, drove a fist into her face, knocking the traitor to the ground. The next moment went by almost instantly as Faye pinned down Neyla's forearms while Rexus held down her knees on the ground, both avoiding her claws and whip. Being the strongest, Rexus took the vile from her pocket and set it behind him near the first-aid kit.
"Never," he said scowling, "put her life in danger again, or so help me I will rip out your spine, watch you bleed, tear open your skull, and bash your brains in with your spine! Is that clear!" There was an eerie feeling to his words, as if he did not make them up alone. At the same moment, a distant voice in Faye's mind resonated with those words, even though one would be dead as soon as the spine was removed, in rhythm with her beating heart.
"So is that it then?" said Neyla as if they were the ones restrained, "You think that you can just grab the antidote and get away with it?" Still the voice in Faye's subconscious continued, staying where it was.
"What do you mean?" Rexus growled, tensing his grip.
"What I mean," said Neyla replying to Rexus, "is that The Contessa will see to it that you two as well as the Cooper Gang are locked up for the rest of your lives." In the pause that followed, Faye looked up to him and inquired a tad randomly, putting her concerns on hold for a moment,
"Want to throw her into the flooded temple?" Rexus grinned,
"Alright." Still grasping Neyla, the two lifting her up, and began to swing her to and fro. In unison they said,
"One…Two…Three!" At that, they released the flailing feline into the water and smirked. Faye bent down and picked up the vile that Rexus had gotten, taking off the cork that plugged it. Having no idea what it might taste like, she poured the substance past her taste buds and down her throat before muttering an 'ick.'
"Hey, Rexus." He glanced up from his crouched position as he did his best to treat Sly's injuries.
"Yeah?"
"Do me a favor will ya?" She began taking off her new shoes in exchange for her old ones. "The next time Neyla resurfaces, punch her in the face."
"Gladly." Faye stuffed the slippers into her thigh pack along with the vile and dart, making sure that the glass objects were the furthest from where the material of the pack met her skin. She did not want to be stabbed by the dart or have broken glass from either pierce the penetrable fabric and harm her then or later.
"Should be soon. Get ready," she warned her partner. Rexus's one syllable response was,
"Right." He pushed himself up and cracked his knuckles.
"Faye! Faye can you read me!" a nasally voice screamed in her ear.
"Y-ack!" she cried, pressing the button on her earcom, "Yes! I read you!"
"You read me what?" Rexus asked confusedly.
"Not you, Rexus. It's Bentley." She pushed the button again and spoke, "What is it?"
"I'm sending over the RC Chopper with a makeshift stretcher for Sly. Tell Rexus to care-ful-ly," he stressed the word as his quick, semi-frantic voice went on, "harness up Sly when it gets there. As he does that, you should hold on to the claw from the Chopper and hang on to it as I fly you back."
"Are you sure that thing can hold us?" Faye glimpsed up to see Rexus watching the water for any signs of Neyla.
"It can jerk a 200-pound guard off his feet… I think it can support someone lighter than that." Even though he was trying to keep calm, it was clear that he was freaking out at the current situation. Faye smiled and replied,
"I believe in you, Bentley. If anyone can pull this off, it's the number one brainiac of the Cooper Gang!" For a little added pep, she pumped her left fist in the air, half hoping that the brains of the band was watching.
"…Okay. Here I go." Despite her confidence in Bentley, Faye felt an uncomfortable sensation arise from her heart and spread to her spine. Neyla had not risen yet and she was due to bust the Cooper Gang and Carmelita soon. In addition, the nagging voice in the back of Faye's mind had not stopped and her stomach still felt as if it were being squeezed from the inside. The pair was still waiting for the constable when the whirring of the RC Chopper's blades came within earshot. Both Faye and Rexus observed as the Chopper lowered what looked like a torn up white parachute with improvised straps attached to it.
"Alright, Rexus," said Faye, "You have to harness up Sly care-ful-ly. I'll go back with the RC Chopper like Bentley said. He'll probably take Sly back then you. Don't know what we'll do about Murray," she picked up her shabby jeans and shirt in her hand with the cane, "but we'll think of something." Rexus nodded and took the harness off the hook it was on. Faye grasped the claw on the end of the rope from the mini-helicopter as it rose into the sky and extended the grappling hook.
"Hang on," came Bentley's shaky voice as the helicopter flew higher and away from the deluged temple to a towering hilltop overlooking the ruins. The grappling hook retracted as she hung on for dear life, looking back only once to see Rexus cautiously harnessing up the wounded leader. Only two-thirds there, the sudden urge to doze off came over her. She gasped a bit, shaking her head and regaining her composure and grip.
At last the RC Chopper hovered her over the hilltop where Bentley and Natasha had relocated to in the helicopter. Faye let go of the claw and landed next to Bentley.
"Where's Natasha?" she asked immediately.
"She's in the helicopter, staying dry and conserving her energy," he responded, directing the Chopper back to the others with his controller.
"Just hurry," Faye said a bit queasy, "Neyla is going to show up as soon as Rajan's finished to arrest Sly, Murray, and Rexus." Bentley inquired as he continued to direction his deadly toy,
"What's the matter?" Faye waved a hand and shook her head.
"Nothing," she answered almost as sickly as before, "I'll be alright. We just need to get the others over here as soon as…" Faye blinked. Neyla was advancing upon Rexus from the direction of Rajan's office. "No…" She turned to her companion. "Bentley, where's your crossbow?"
"In the helicopter. Why do you ask?" He kept his attention on the RC Chopper and did not notice Faye as she slid open the helicopter door. Natasha was huddled inside along with Josie next to Bentley's weapon.
"Faye!" she declared joyfully. Faye merely muttered,
"Great to see you, Natasha. Stay here," she took up the crossbow. "I've got some business to do." She shut the door and hurried over to the cliff with Bentley. By then, Rexus was staring down the constable, guarding Sly's inanimate body. Faye reached into her pack, pulled out the dart, and loaded it into the weapon. She peered into the sight, which looked exactly like it did in the game when a player was aiming for a target, and trained her eye on Neyla. Trying to point the center at her neck, Faye fired, hearing Neyla yelp in pain as it hit her shoulder. Faye gave a small "Heh-heh-heh" and let the weapon hang in her hand on her side. Below, Rexus socked Neyla's face, keeping his word and causing her to stumble backward.
As good as things were beginning to get, they quickly spiraled into a vile pit of desperation. A streak of webbing shot out from the darkness and wrapped around Rexus's arms, torso, and legs, disabling his movements as he fell to the ground. Another string enveloped the blades of the RC Chopper, causing it to slowly descend.
"Oh no!" said Bentley, "…I need to bring in the Chopper, or we won't be able to save it or the gang!" Even with it being so high, Bentley still had trouble bringing it back. Faye's stomach calmed down as Neyla approached the edge of the pond. It was faint, but Faye could hear Murray shouting,
"Victory belongs to The Murray!"
"Sly's going to want this half of the Clockwerk heart safe and sound…" Faye murmured to herself, recalling what the brawn of the team must have been saying to himself.
"…Faye," Bentley said, still trying to control his chopper. "What do you mean?"
"Happy day!" cried Neyla. Her voice was clear despite them being some ways away.
"Devastation…" Faye said seriously as the event unfurled in front of their eyes.
"Whuh? Neyla?" questioned Murray in the pit, "Throw down a ladder. Sly's hurt real bad… Can you hear me? …I said Sly's hurt!"
"He has to know…"
"I see a traitor lurking around the bend…" Faye said, reciting a lyric from her song.
"There they are Contessa," Neyla announced triumphantly, "just as I promised. The Cooper Gang and Rajan all incapacitated." The Contessa, finally emerging from the shadows, put her hands together and clapped. Right behind her was Carmelita, arms folded for a brief moment before her eyes caught the sight of Sly.
"I see a friendship broken that has to be mend…" Faye said a little more, elaborating in an allusion to Bentley her foreshadowed knowledge. The widow remarked,
"Excellent police work Constable Neyla. Carmelita's never been able to catch the Cooper gang, yet you capture them in just a few short weeks." Carmelita snapped her head to them.
"Well I never…" Faye brought out her binocucom to get a closer look. The Contessa spoke nonchalantly,
"Really Carmelita, accept your defeat gracefully."
"I've seen the rise of a righteous band and the fall of a 'prestigious' man…" Faye said slowly as Neyla double-crossed yet again.
"Actually Contessa, there's a good reason Inspector Fox never caught the Cooper Gang… She's been in league with them the whole time."
"Liar, prove it!" Carmelita glared at the constable, daring her to prove her words.
"No…" Faye zoomed in to see Neyla pulling out a small square from her pocket.
"This is a photo of Carmelita dancing with Sly Cooper on the night the Clockwerk wings were stolen." Carmelita, in her defense as her own lawyer, attempted to defy the evidence,
"But I didn't know I was dancing with Cooper." The Contessa grabbed the photograph and massaged her chin.
"You two certainly seem very…familiar in this picture. Men, place Inspector Fox under arrest." Said inspector growled as two vultures began to handcuff her,
"I'll get you Neyla…don't think I won't." The Contessa sighed,
"Such a pity when an officer falls from the light." In a fake concerned tone, Neyla replied,
"Yes…indeed." Tears welled in Faye's eyes at her failure. Rexus was snatched up by more vultures, handcuffed, and after having the webbing cut from him, was forced to march behind Carmelita. Sorrowfully, Faye recited,
"But you wouldn't believe it if you heard... Because the future can be hard to believe, but the time has come for my prophecy's eve…" She lowered her gadget and shut her eyes, hearing Bentley sputter,
"I can't believe it…that double crossing, no good cockney…liar!" He turned to Faye, "You knew this would happen! But…how? …Why?" Faye sniffed and said with a nearly cracked voice,
"I'm sorry Bentley. I didn't want this to happen. I did what I could…but it wasn't enough…" She clutched her binocucom as tears threatened to leave her. "I stole Neyla's camera at the ball. I tried to stop her from showing the photo. I tried to make Rajan get on our side. I tried to stop this but I failed! I'm sorry, Bentley, I'm sorry!" Behind his glasses, the turtle beheld anger and woe. Faye put up her binocucom, handing off the crossbow to Bentley. He took it just as Natasha came out of the broken down helicopter.
"What's going on?" she asked innocently. Faye was the one to answer first,
"Failure, Natasha. Failure of the highest degree."
"The false reality…" echoed Yami at long last, "it could still come true if they're taken to the Contessa's prison in Prague." Natasha tilted her head in confusion and asked another inquiry,
"Failure…?"
"Natasha…" started Bentley but Faye cut him off, lifting her head,
"It can be fixed. All we have to do is get to our next destination," she turned to the brainiac and the orphan, "Prague." She directed her attention once more to the temple below and could only helplessly look on as Sly, Murray, Carmelita, and Rexus were chained up and forced to walk in custody, being herded away from view.
SQ (a.k.a. the authoress formerly known as SQ): Forgive the rush job at the end. I figured you people had waited long enough for me to update. I'll tie up loose ends in the next chapter (if someone makes a list of any that I may have missed before the next update I'll be grateful). And…All right, I admit it. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing at this point (not to mention that the computer messed up at one point and a chunk of story was deleted). I had no plan whatsoever diving into this chapter. All I knew was that Episode 3 had to end soon so we could get on with it. Alright, actual author notes: Faye's hair is allowed to be shown even though she is in a costume, because Penelope and Carmelita did it as well. I see it like this: if Sucker Punch can get away with it, so can I. Second, Rajan-plus-crush-on-Faye equals "Ahhh!" I really, really, really hate the pairing. (twitch) Oy… Third: the whole aura thing was spontaneous and yet not so at the same time (will be explained later; please remind me two chapters into Episode 5 or I might forget). Clockwerk's energy from the heart enhanced Rajan's anger and blinded him from the truth, thus sending him into a frenzy (which was worse than in the game) and making it so that he would go along with the game's original plot…sort of.
Trinity: Indeed, this was one of the more…skewed chapters in the story.
SQ: No kidding. Fourth note: it turns out that I had writer's block (thought the cause of the problem was because I was too busy). Fifth: ow my brain. It took some time to get this right without terribly rushing and causing plot holes (loathe them too; it has happened before in earlier chapters). Sixth: the helicopter sound Faye heard was of Bentley flying the assault 'copter he was in from the leaning tower to higher ground (though what isn't said is that it ran out of gas before he could land someplace better). Heh. (quietly) Chile bazooka… I should probably say it now that I am considering making 'what-if' scenarios from this fanfiction. So for those who ever wondered "What if Faye had been reckless in her fight against Dimitri?" or "What if Faye and Sly's relationship was something more?" can see the flip side of the outcomes. However, the ratings will vary in these sketches only because of graphic violence in certain ones (the fights in particular, but only if many want it written) and the rating will be displayed before the chapter. I'll be taking requests, but these "secret files" will not part of the main plot. Therefore, anything random or sudden may occur that will not affect the storyline.
Natasha (singing): "Do do do-do… Dun. Dun. The Murray!" Hmm? What?
SQ: You're not singing what I think you're singing, are you?
Natasha: May-be. …"Da-da-dun! Who's…the Pink Tornado? Bum. Who's…a Mad Torpedo? …"
SQ: (shakes head) Please don't let that hit the airwaves.
Faye: Too late. It's on the radio.
SQ: -.- Okay… Well, we'll be back next chapter when the broken band tries to cope with the absence of Sly, Murray, and Rexus.
Natasha: "Death by Thunder Flop! No way to top cause he's 'The Murray'!…"
SQ: Ahem. (Natasha stops singing) So…
SQ, Trinity, Faye, Natasha: May the light of the moon lead the way to the master thief!