SLY 4:Thieves of a kind

by scout-islander

An adaption of an idea for a fourth game in the series. The chapters are started with an extract from sly like the animated cutscenes. Sly has to follow the advice of Mcsweeny and collect the pieces of the cooper emblem.

10. Cry hatred, cry clo

My adventures were pretty sweet, weren't they?

To think that we managed to get back the entire Cooper emblem that year AND defeated a gang that would've made a city that could've left millions homeless and enslaved. Not that that was true or anything, seeing as they were all psychopaths. Well, I figured that we'd all deserved a big break. A retirement brake. And things went well for a good year or so.

Carmelita and I were not exactly so together during that time. Sure, we were together and all, but there was some kind of…. regret? Because I'd retired? Or because there was something she wouldn't tell me. Bently kept me heads up on the police reports when she was out. Just because I was out of work didn't mean she shouldn't keep on cleaning the streets of crime.

Thinking back, I began to piece together the Cooper Emblem in my mind. Sure it had thief powers, but nothing else. Just an ornament. Why would a gang of high class thieves want it? Really?

One evening, I received an anonymous note telling me to head over to the empire state building. It was marked with a familiar photo of one of my ancestors, but not one I ever remember. Could this be the cousin who was taken from me? And could the messenger be the final heir?

If this works out, the Cooper gang could be setting off to a swell year, right?

SLY AND THE GANG IN: CRY HATRED, CRY CLO…

Now, Sly understood that if someone was a little late, it was understandable, but this friend was taking an age. The gang had arrived at seven o' clock prompt and the rendezvous had still not turned up. Sly quickly texted Carmelita a message about not being home for a good hour or so. Bently sidled up to him with a paper coffee cup.

"Sly, if we are going to wait for this friend, perhaps it would prove interesting to stay in case of a nightfall entry."

"Fine," sighed Sly, "But if it's a stand up, then we'll have to take the long way down."

"I just don't understand it…your friend must be in some kinda trouble, or somethin'." Murray jauntily placed his elbows on the balcony they were all on, the wind blowing gently against the structure. The people below, buzzing about, looking for their next port of call. And Sly was feeling pretty useless standing on an extremely tall building watching for anybody who entered. He was not the least bit happy at the iciness of the day, the chill of the wind. It froze him to the bone. And he was pretty fed up.

It was ten o' clock when the guard announced it was closing time, Sly decided this would not prevent him from meeting his rendezvous. He hid in a nearby barrel with the guys as the checking guard locked the iron gates to the stairway. And as Sly and the gang leapt from their hiding place...there was nothing. Bently surveyed the area and wrote detailed notes on a possible future heist. Murray bit his fingernails and checked the corners of the roof nervously. And Sly was in the middle, trying to see in the darkness if anything was there. The buildings lights came on with a sudden jolt, and Sly found himself in the centre of a spotlight, His eyes grasping to adapt to the new brightness. And he couldn't see a single person waiting. A burst of movement made him recoil, and he peered forwards to get a better look.

"You made it." Sly turned to see a figure with its back to him. It was leaning over the balcony, a silhouette against the light. He cocked his head to one side and advanced towards the figure. Before he could make a further step, he noticed the figure turn. But what made his blood run cold was a hint of familiarity in the voice of the figure.

And he knew who it was.

"Slightly predictable," Sly mused, hiding his confusion and astonishment, "how did you survive?"

"A small ship," crooned Reptil, his eyes glancing at his ringed fingers, "On its way to here, a sizeable journey from Europe. Funny," he glanced at the raccoon; "You never did believe our plan because you never saw it for yourself. A waste, that...a real waste. You've been careless once more Cooper, to think that the murder of Bastof would go unnoticed." Sly was now finding it difficult to breathe.

"Bastof...how did you..." Bently and Murray were now looking dumbfounded at their old friend at this revelation. Bently hung his head in thought as Reptil continued with his explanation.

" Sly, Sly, the RALTIO never got their facts right. A true leader is not born of wealth or immortality, helpful as they may be. No no, one is not born of heritage, as I have had to learn. But of fear...and hatred. Clockwerks design for the original death ray would have made him a superpower himself if had used it for such. Try his methods of leadership...then his taste in weaponry. They all induced fear. And hatred helps remove both sentimentality and sloppiness. Dr M could have been a leader, but obsession drove him mad. So, I did as many have strived to think of, but never to try...to make what happened to Clockwerk happen to me. I found Bastof lurking in some hovel about ten years ago and forced him into some mad idea that perhaps Clockwerk might even haunt him. He went crazy thanks to that implant the Owl put into him years ago, and he drew up plans to both enhance Clockwerk and then destroyed them. This little Jekyll and Hyde is what saved him...so he could help me! Come down, Bastof!" Sly was frozen to the spot as a pitifully winged Bastof flew down, no longer an organism now by a patch of cybernetics, with a terrifying lopsided grin on his face. Reptil gave a hideous and bloodthirsty laugh as Sly began to stare at Bastof with his mouth agape. And Bastof turned to Sly with a horrible smirk, and triumphantly murmured "I did it Sly…I got him out of me…look how I did…. look how I did it…"

"This is insane, Reptil," Sly yelled over the sudden wind that had filled the air, "why dig up the past? What has any of this got to do with the RALTIO? Do you just enjoy torturing me? WELL?"

Reptil gave a little cough and looked down. "Sly, I had to steal from the rich folk for years before I even discovered my Aztec birthright. For you thievery was a choice, for me, it was no option. I can't understand how one who likes to play dress-up in his fathers clothes could ever be a master thief. You could have lived a rather fine life Cooper, and yet you continue to give thieves a bad name. While my true goal is to create this new superpower, I delight in your suffering."

"No, that's not it," Sly was now quite calm and began to release his tension in his posture, "I had to be a thief in order to reclaim my birthright AND because I was possibly more of a down and out than you. You were poor and you could have used your thievery to change your life, not revenge. I tried to retire, but every now and then some nutcase comes along to dig up the past. It's like one guy finding something funny about someone and no-one else joining in. And if you want immortality, you can have it so that you can suffer as far as I'm concerned…but you're now a world threat, and I'm not going to stand for that." Sly held his hand out firmly to Bastof, who suddenly bore the expression of a young child, and reached for Slys hand. Reptil turned angrily to see Bently and Murray standing triumphantly, and this made him even angrier. He suddenly lashed out at Sly and hit him squarely on the cheek. He began to beat into Sly again and again, his eyes ablaze with fury.

"HOW DARE YOU! You just love to be the 'pretty boy' don't you! You love to be the one to get all the one liners and the winnings? Well this is it! New Maya will lock up anybody who bullies or upstarts me anymore! New Maya will lock up true criminals who got their trade through dishonest means, just as I would have done to the other members of RALTIO if I had gotten this far with them! Bastof! Activate the tower! OPERATION MAYA BEGINS TONIGHT!"

Bastof changed face and flew towards the tower, zapping it and giving a signal to Reptil. Reptil slapped Sly once more and held him so he could hear.

"But why should I be doing all the talking? Maybe the master should explain! The one, the only, the fowl who's out to rule the Cooper clan,...CLOCKWERK, MASTER THIEF AND RULER OF NEW MAYA!" Sly was now almost on the alert, straining to see as the huge owl let out a terrible shriek, appearing out of no-where, staying aloft facing the balcony. And Sly recognized the look in the Owls eyes that showed utter distaste and hatred. Clockwerk twisted his neck and breathed in deeply, as if the sensation felt tired on him.

"The smell of steel, the fear of mortals, and the freedom of all that is evil...how perfectly matched, eh Cooper?"

Sly was flung to the edge to stand upright, but pathetically sank to his knees." How did you return?"

Clockwerk smirked for a split second. He turned to Reptil with disgust. " So you bring me Cooper as a feast, eh? Nothing much has changed. It almost pains me to have to even consider destroying such a weak and pathetic image. Ah, but perfection is perfection, and perfection has no age…." He paused so that he could see Sly wince at the familiar line," And it allows no weaknesses. "

Sly stood up, to the horror of his comrades, "How…did…you...Return, I said." A flash of doubt passed Clockwerks countenance, and the owl clamped forwards with Sly in his claws. "I'll make this as clear as I can, cretin. When I discovered that Bastof had a gift for inventing, I took him under my wing, so to speak. But in case he ever double-crossed me, I would infect him with one of my clock spores, where he would slowly mutate as I saw fit, and only as I saw fit. He built me several replica bodies and brains, all run by my protected original brain at the same time. My brain thus far has proven quite resistible, even when you destroyed my parts in Paris. I had Bastof find my brain, rebuild me, and then I was shut down. But my colleague Reptil was interested enough to maintain my upkeep, despite Bastofs recent schizophrenic desires."

Sly weakly moved his head to one side. "If he was so good, why did you partially mutate him?"

Clockwerk leaned forward and cut Sly slowly as he released an inch of his talon. "That was for the times my body was destroyed. It was obviously not as strong as was promised. Reptil made sure he was dutifully punished…" He finally acknowledged Reptil, and gave a hard glare before smirking. "And it nearly worked..." he looked up and gave a visible look of excitement, laughing manically.

"Oh master, it seems the entire Cooper gang is in time to witness New Maya itself!" They all looked above to see a huge flying city engulf the sky, and lightning struck the empire state. Clockwerk gave what Sly recognized as a look of resentment towards Reptil as he approached the owl. "Shall we make haste?" But Clockwerk stared him down.

"You have also made a mistake. Bastof was infected, but the disease would never have made him as mutated and speechless as he is now. The plan was that he was the only one who knew how to work the machines in the lab, and that if anything went horribly wrong then I would be the one to accelerate his mutation. You, Reptil, have now made it so that, while I can be rebuilt, my hate chip cannot be restored after a number of times. You were careless in that regard," The owl swooped and landed right in front of the lizard, almost taking up the whole balcony, "...and I cannot abide timewasters." Before long, Reptil flew backwards into Bastofs path. Bastof quickly attempted to help up his master, but Reptil waved him away with a distant look in his eyes. Bently and Murray stood watching the owl in awe. Clockwerk focused his attention on them, clearly in the moment. "New York shall burn..." He flew towards the floating city, and spread his talons, and quickly cocked his head at Reptil as a signal for him to jump on. Reptil did, with Sly still in his claws. Reptil leaned forwards to clockwerks head.

"You need me to pilot the cannons?"

"That's what you're here for. Destroy the city below so that we may begin our reign."

Reptil was rather taken aback. "But…you want to be a thief, a ruler, not a destroyer?"

"You think I care? How do you think we make demands anyway? I can see the line now…'you either hand over your billions or I do to another city what I did to New York.' It's bittersweet how my hated rival should perish in my very first takeover bid. But you have already disappointed me, both with your failure of handling Bastof and the removal of that inane Neyla from my memory chips. She refuses to leave me with her maniacal chatter. How I wish Arpeggio were the one to have received my gifts, for him to be my very own colleague. His talk would please me rather more than that wenches drivel." Sly was shocked further. So, Neyla had managed to keep herself within Clockwerk. Perhaps if he could try and double that feeling against Clockwerk so that it would drive him to…no, he thought, that was Bentlys job. He sighed and opened one eye weakly to gaze at the empire state far below him…

Carmelita ran to see late night civilians running and pointing at the moonlit sky. She quickly grabbed one and flashed her badge.

"It's okay, I'm a cop. What the heck's everybody worried about?" The civilian just pushed past and kept running, but she did manage to see his pointing. Staring up at the sky Carmelita saw the most feared sight of all…a pair of wings and a fearsome bird attached to them silhouetted against the Moon. She then noticed a bunch of cops gathered outside the empire state along with her detective inspector Barkley. She ran forward to reach him. "What's happening?" She asked. Barkley didn't take his eyes off the owl as he explained.

"I know this gotta be some kinda joke, but the records prove it…Clockwerk is back. I just don't get it…look you see THAT right?" He was now pointing to the city covered in cloud, "That looks pretty ominous. Turned up bout…seven minutes ago, I guess. We've got a S.W.A.T team of bees up there, but it doesn't look like they'll handle 'em…Hey! Whattaya think ya doin?" But Carmelita had grabbed the helicopter and shock pistol long ago.

Bently gasped.

" We have to stop him before it bombards ground and destroys the entire city! Umm...I hate thinking on my feet like this. Murray?" Murray was too busy trembling and pointed a large finger at the incoming Bastof. Bastof was considerably even more mutated now, with a far larger body and skin overcoming the cybernetics. He resembled more of some nightmarish bat-giant now rather than some deformed cyborg.He bared his teeth and screamed sonic waves at Bently. Murray quickly pushed his friend out of the way and clenched his fists.

"That's it, turkey! Face the wrath of THE MURRAY!" He ran forward and collided in the air with the winged beast, and Bently stared open mouthed as his best friend overcame the creature in a fantastic aerial battle, with Murray grabbing onto Bastofs ears and tugging them backwards. Bastof screamed and came into land with Murray sternly urging Bently to hop on. Bently did so, and the two glided towards the enormous structure that made up New Maya. Bently held out his plan scrawled on a thick sheet of paper.

"Murray, I need you to get on top of New Maya and tear it to bits. The fact it was built so quick means that it'll be easy to break down due to it's less powerful alloys used. I'll jump down with you and hack into the level security system. And Murray…" He placed a hand on his friends shoulder, "…Go get em' for me, right?" Murray shed a tear, nodded, and launched himself. The falls seem to him to wind as he changed into ball form, smashing into every single turret on the city protection dome. Bently soon dragged up Bastof to land on the dome centre, avoiding Reptils missiles as he went and slamming any caught into the dome. Clockwerk was too busy flying around trying to torture Sly in his claws to notice. Bently suddenly received a strange feed on the hacking device he had only just pulled out after jumping from Bastofs back. It seemed that the feed was…well, mocking. He jacked it into the dome computer to find that the hacking interface was the same as many of the interfaces he had used previously. But, just as he destroyed the final barrier, it came up red with the entire dome glass shattering. Luckily he had managed to keep hold of the walkway, clambering to his feet and now noticing the hologram that was before him. And with the same smile of hers, Neyla made her entrance.

"So, what we got 'ere then, ey? That smelly old tortoise has got wind from the gov'nor that the old birds back, 'as he? It pretty pathe'ic if you ask me, mate!"

"You…you…Cockney robot hag!" Bently grabbed out a magnet and attempted to zone her out, but her own magnetic frequency was too great. Bently continued to hack, watching as Neyla mocked him further, until Murray arrived in ball form, smashing the control panel. Reptil suddenly grabbed them from behind.

"Excellent, you have solved the masters 'vermin' problem! And now, you will come with me or receive a much need grenade where you least expect it!"

Clockwerk brought Sly to rest on the highest tower on the city. He looked below to check the current damage, and smiled nonchalantly at Sly. "Cooper, it is good that you are here. Perhaps now I can prove that without your book or your cane that you are no more a thief than a common garden snail. Have faith, I will allow you to live now to see New York burn." Sly clutched his side and sat upright to face him.

"You still won't give up on this superpower will you? Do you really want to rule the world so badly?" Sly felt clockweks laughing strange to his ears in the current situation. Clockwerk made an apologetic face.

"Aww, you didn't really think that was my game, did you Cooper? This floating pile of slag is Reptils game, as far as I'm concerned. The boy had some nice ideas, but this wasn't one of them. Soon New York will be flattened by this rock and I will claim the land as my oyster…But Reptil and I have plans for you."

Sly grew hot and angry. "Then kill me NOW! It's better than drawing it out like this."

"Sly, why would I kill my new HOST?!" Sly tried to stand up but covered himself as Clockwerk lunged. He shut his eyes…and was flying. He opened them to see Murray holding him up just before Clockwerk had a chance to move. In Murrays other hand was a gagged Reptil, who was struggling for dear life. Clockwerk pushed Murray, who accidentally dropped Reptil. Bently tried to reach out but it was no use. Then Bently turned to see, to his horror, Murray actually pushing Clockwerk back in a struggle. Clockwerks beak was wide open like a bird ready for feeding, and Murray just held him back with all his strength. Sly tried to stand up once more, but could only cry as Murray kept on struggling.

Reptil pulled himself up from the balcony. It was a miracle he had survived. He cursed the gang…hang them, and hang their entire future! He may have seemed defeated now, but he knew that once Clockwerks world was in order, he'd return.

Murray kept on struggling, each time lifting Clockwerks head up at least an inch. Murray kept on mumbling to himself until Sly cried out.

"Murray, let go! We can get out of this!"

"No!" yelled Murray, "The problem last time was that I didn't keep his beak open long enough…I'm gonna finish what I started, I'm not about to let my friends get hurt again!"

The two friends watched helplessly as Clockwerk began to give sideways glances. Perhaps the time had come for a change of plan. The only way out of this was to make a new host, one that was big, pink…and ignorant. Clockwerk fired a pulsating beam right through Murrays stomach….

They say that as you die, time stops. It was freaking awesome to see my whole life stretched out before me.

There we were, a good bunch of friends. Always patting each other on the back. Always making new friends. And never wanting to let me know I was a burden. I'm not afraid to admit it…since my first days I've always been the team klutz. Always stoppin' for some chow, always acting before thinking. I can picture myself every time the guys wanted to head out and I'd rushed in without thinking, or every time it had been me who messed up the plan. And this just takes me back to that night with Bently…if only I had paid attention, if only I could've held onto that beak longer,…

But y'know…that doesn't matter anymore. All I can think of is what others say about me…what a great sensitive guy I am. How I'm what kept the team together. And now it makes sense to me.

I'm not going out with a bang…I'm goin' out singing my own freaking' theme song! My own Ballad! Cause the Murray…. STANDS TALL!

Bentlys lip quivered as he wheeled over to the wreckage, as Clockwerk lay exhausted with Murray's body lying at his claws, His beak agape. The inordinate amount of rubble where Murray had planted his feet so firmly into the ground had rubbed off on Murray, making him appear dusty and tired. But a smile played about his lips as he gave his last breath. Sly reached out to grab his friend, and found himself launched into the air, landing to his previous point with a thud. Clockwerk grabbed Murray's body and inserted it inside of his beak, and suddenly imploded. Clockwerk began to Morph before the very eyes of Sly and Bently, his body contorting into several different shapes but his wings always prominent. As he did so, the entire floating city began to fall to the sea on the far, far outskirts, with Bently and Sly not even noticing. And soon, a hulking figure with huge metallic wings stepped forwards. And gave the most horrible grin.

"I may not have seen Murray in action, but from what I hear, this body will serve me greatly as a heart. I can feel the raw energy…just like when McSweeny attempted to pitifully pound me. Feels a little different to being an agile thief, but no matter…I'm sure I can still torture you with his pathetic voice…'Sly, Master, Murray…" A blast from behind caught him off guard and he sprung forwards. Carmelita was now fully equipped, trying to break the great beasts shell. He screamed and knelt in pain, a feeling he had not felt for centuries. He realized that perhaps Murray's resilience had bettered him as a host, for Sly would have surely broken after such a shot. Sly was already getting into Carmelita's helicopter, wincing as she helped him up. He gave her a recognizing look and bit his lip, attempting to hide his feelings.

"He…killed Murray. You can't hurt him, you can't!"

"What do you…That's Murray? But…" Bently hovered in and began to insert a small device, maneuvering the controls. He turned to Carmelita.

"Murrays been absorbed into Clockwerk…we need to defeat him! Carmelita, you take the turret and fly me in as close as you can. Now!" She nodded and flew over as the Clock-Murray spread its wings, flying ever closer and giving a horrific smile. It tried to dodge the missiles from the turret, but Carmelita's aim was steady and true. The creature screamed and trashed, until Bently landed on the turret roof. He set the controls, and brought out a small briefcase, containing an odd pair of metal exo-skeletal legs. Bently held them in front of him and fitted them on, emerging from his chair…walking. He was walking once more, now armed with his old crossbow. He aimed at the creatures' head and made a whistle. The creature turned, and snarled.

" Well, Clockwerk…this is it! Nobody kills my best friend and lives to tell the tale!" And as the exploding dart flew towards the monsters head, it suddenly bore Murrays face, a noble look, as the Dart hit it, sending it spiraling towards the sea far far below, the Clockwerk parts detaching themselves the same way rats leave a sinking ship. And that's when Bently knew. He'd just destroyed the body of his best friend.

The Clockwerk parts twitched, spluttered, and fell to the ground next to Bentlys feet. He packed these into his bag, and wept, because he'd not only lost his friend, his ability to walk and his nerve…but he'd lost his newfound courage too. Everything.

Sly opened his eyes to see the sea gently rolling in the background, and Carmelita stroking his forehead. He smiled and gave a cough, listening to the tide going out and in, out and in…She kissed his forehead.

"I'm sorry. If I had known, then…"

"Then nothing. It was what he wanted, that's all. Murray died a hero, and he gave his friends nothing. We could have saved him, Carmelita, and we could have…." He found Bently slapping him across the face.

"That's a load of crap! Murray died a hero protecting his friends, if he hadn't none of us would be here now! Murray wanted to make up for when he'd let me…y'know. He's been playing that moment back in his head for years, trying to get it right, trying to get it so that you could be safe, and you slander him like the idiot you are. Sly, Don't brood over this, Murray would never have wanted you too. In fact, I know you would do the same for him. To say he made you lose out on a friend is…well…Selfish! Selfish!"

The silence was torturous. Sly stood up, tottered, regained balance, and fell at Bentlys feet. For a moment they said nothing to each other. And Sly kissed Bentlys feet, smiling, getting up and holding out his hand. Bently cried, hugging his pal. And the two stood there, the sun coming up, and the police screeching in the distance. As the car came, they gave each other and Carmelita a wry look, and awaited the officers on the arrest.

They say that you come out of prison a changed man. Time off for good behavior didn't come easy for me, while Sly was declared a hero. He asked if I wanted to rethink it, but my mind was made up…Prison was the safest place for me. Penelope visited religiously every Tuesday, and…well, we talked. There was a lot to talk about. I even got to meet big Jim McSweeny himself, and it just…

Okay, admitting time. My mind is that of a complex hybrid of science and cunning. And yet I defy all beliefs of being anti-social not just to others, but to myself. Murray…was my friend. He was more than that, really. The words…there aren't enough words in the world to describe how I feel. And yet I feel that I should be vengeful, hating everything, like Dr M. Or loathe for the Cooper clan. But it's not just about brother hood. It's about the Guru. Don't ask but I think that guy knows something I don't. Truth be told, he took his pupils death rather well when he visited. And that smile? Is there something he's not telling me?

Of course, Sly and Carmelita had a spectacular second honeymoon. I hear that good old Paris is still the same as ever…and still full of fine art. At least, they were. Good old Sly!

Times changed once I left the whosceau, and that little project of mine is still underway. And something tells me that this must only be the end of our adventures…but not for our family. Or our children's families. Or…No, that's too much for now. It's time to end the journal here. I'm tired and I've got a long week of inventing ahead of me. Keep these stories with you and treasure them, and remember that a master criminal…

Is only as good as a master thief. And even then, the odds are still in our favour. For now and forever. Goodbye.

Goodbye indeed…tsk, tsk, Wiseturtle. Why must you be so…pretentious? I see that I was chasing the wrong thief all these years…