Back with chapter two!

"G-Get back in here!" I feel a hand pull me by my collar and yank me back inside the van. I land hard and look up at the shocked faces of the gang, all looking back at me, urging me to spill how exactly I got here, except, I can't tell them because I have no flipping idea! I was at home, playing the game like there's not tomorrow, and then poof! Right when they were going back in time, I'm somehow in the game...is this a calling from God? What am I saying, I'm not that Christian! My tail swishes behind me anxiously—man, it feels weird having something move back there—and I might as well introduce myself.

Putting my hands u in protest and as if surrendering, I start off, shakily, "L-L-Listen, my name's H-Harmony, Harmony Peterson, a-a-and I r-really am as c-confused as y-you three are," jeez, my voice is wavering really bad! I hate how scared I can get when crazy things happen. I need to learn how to be cool and calm, and how to assert the situation in tough times like this. But for now, I have to earn these guys' trust! Bentley crossed his arms over his chest, his hat tipped back to get a better look at my surely trembling form. Sly and Murray, actually, were standing by the back doors of the van, probably their reactions to me jumping out all of a sudden. Sly's cane was propped up by Bentley's tech equipment, but even without it I'm sure he could kick my ass if they think I'm lying or a spy from Interpol—which I'd never be, I'd always be on the opposite side of the law when it comes to Sly Cooper! "I-I-I mean, I w-was at home, I swear, and then...and t-then there w-was like, a...a 'bzzt!' sound—"

"A 'bzzt' sound? You're making this story very hard to believe, I hope you're aware," Bentley interrupted, adjusting his glasses. He's too smart to believe the truth, dammit! There's no need to over-analyze things, I seriously don't know how the heck I got here! Would I tell them a lie? Would they believe that? Well, I don't really care about the other two believing me, getting past Bentley is what freaks me out. I shake my head, trying to sort my thoughts in order and form a coherent sentence.

Then, Sly speaks up, "Bentley, I think she's innocent. I mean, just look at her," he gestures to my trembling form with an amused smile, "No offense."
"N-None taken," I reply, looking back at Bentley. Maybe he's confused as to how I know all of their names? I can't tell them the truth, so might as well make it up. "Um, t-the reason I know your names is b-because m-my parents have h-heard of you, a-and the heroic things y-you've done—"

" 'Heroic'?" Bentley asked in disbelief and shock, and I internally smack myself for letting that thought slip out. Heroic? Really?!

I think fast. "Y-Yeah! My parents a-always thought you three were n-never bad, a-and that the police s-should just recruit y-you guys instead o-of chasing you."
The turtle still looks unsure. He opens his mouth as if to speak, but Murray cuts him off, "I think we should believe her, buddy! She's just a little girl, after all!"

"I'm twenty..."

"Yeah, Bentley, and she doesn't look like she's with Interpol. I would know, I did spend a while with them." Sly agreed, making a face as he remembers his days with Carmelita, I imagine, and locking up criminals. That must have been tough.

"I'm a college student..."

"And she's a cat! Cats are always nice, I mean unless she's anything like that Neyla, but she wasn't a cat, she was a tiger, right?" Murray goes on, scowling at the thought of Neyla's betrayal and how he had to go through so much to get out of prison. I have to admit, that part was pretty funny in the game, having to break them out and Bentley's narrating the cinematic cutscenes. I decide to stop this before we got to off topic, and because a thought pops into my head.

"Hey, u-um," their attention averts back to me, and I almost forget my question. "Actually, m-my parents r-recently passed a-away, and I was thinking t-that maybe, I I could p-prove myself to you g-guys and join your g-gang?" I know what I'm getting myself into—police chases, secret hideouts, having to keep on the move, never stopping too long at one place—but I think it'll be fun and a change of pace from boring school life. These guys are always gettingthemselves into new trouble, and never seem to be bored, so I'm thinking, why not? That is, if they even consider having me as a part of their team. My green eyes look hopefully at each of them, and I can already see agreement in Murray and Sly's expression, but Bentley still looks skeptical. What else could I do? What else did he want me to prove? I'm not some spy, I'm not some undercover cop, or a new foe, I'm just...Harmony.

Finally, Bentley sighs, while wheeling himself out of the van, "I guess we could see what you can do."

I breathe a sigh of relief, and take a step back out into the bamboo thicket. My tail (jeez, I still can't get over saying that) swishes behind my legs anxiously, being next to your childhood heroes can do that. Sly looks at me, flashing me a smile, "Welcome to the team. You said your name is Harmony, right?"

I nod, suddenly blushing at my slowness. "Y-yeah!"

"I'm Sly. Though, I think you already know that," he replies, a bit amused. I nod again, at a loss for words at the moment. What can I say? I'm right next to Sly flipping Cooper, it's not easy to strike up s conversation so easily. "Well, since you're now part of the team, time to see what you can do."

I gulp, and my eyes widen.

What do you mean, 'what I can do?'