Hello, fanfiction, Fanus Obscurus is here with the next chapter. It is time to cast off the past and go forth into the future! Here we go!

Sly 5:

Return of the Thievious Raccoonus

Ch 3 Into Darkness

Zenith of the storm

Pain. All I can feel right now is pain. I stood atop of a large metal tower, looking over a city veiled in black. I tried to remember something, but nothing came to mind. I then noticed a not pined to the inside of my helmet/mask, a simple post-it-note with the words 'Activation Code: Carmelita" written on them. Being curious, I red them aloud. Suddenly the mask blazed to light as some sort of holographic HUD filled the mask. I was a bit shocked by this, as the outfit that I wore also felt much lighter than before. A image of the suit came before me and I could see what I looked like. It looked at first like I just had om a blue sweatshirt and pants, but up close was the truth. Covering the entirety of the outfit were midnight blue metal plates, a strange choice in clothes. On my shoulders were to spherical pads, roughly extending four inches off of my shoulders. But the two most in intriguing parts were my was and armament. On my head was a helmet that completely covered my face. It was made of the same metal as the plates on my shirt and looked to be a very angular stylized face, with a black mask covering the already obscured face. But stranger still was my weaponry. Sitting in two sheathes on my back was a cane, about 5 ft. in length, tipped with a handle made out of a unusual golden material. For some reason, I knew that it was not a implement for the weak, but a versatile tool and weapon. But even that was out shined by the oddity of my other weapon, a four and a half foot long katana. I unsheathed it too get a better look at it then just a image, and was greeted by a sword that felt perfectly balanced in my hand, and made out of the same metal as the plates on my shirt, but a mixture of pure black and shining silver in colors. Seeing this woke a feeling off dread in my mind that I could not hold back.

Suddenly, I was not on the tower anymore. Instead, I was a young boy, hidden in a closet, peering through a crack watching a brutal murder. A male raccoon lay on the ground as a quivering pile of flesh, barley breathing at all. A female raccoon lay behind him, so obviously dead that it was brutal. One of her arms was completely missing, and her lower abdomen was nearly sawed in half from automatic weapons fire. I also saw who was doing this. In one corner was a large frog, busily and sloppily trying to crack a safe. Standing of two the left of him was a bulldog that was so obviously on steroids that I twas ridiculous. In his hands were two oversized machine guns, reminiscent of the infamous Thompson sub-machine gun, barrels glowing red from the shear amount of fire pouring from them, creating a small mountain of casings behind him as he gleefully turned the building into splinters. A little to the right of him was a crocodile, wearing an outfit that would look appropriate on a gypsy. I nearly vomited when I saw a arm slightly jutting out of her mouth as she chewed on it like a piece of gum. Almost in the very back of the room was a huge panda, easily the most out of place person in there group. He had a look of disgust and contempt on him, not for the family dead at his feet, or the maniacs around him, but for himself, as he looked at his hands, stained with the man's blood. But standing by the doorway was something tat awoke a fear, almost ingrained into my genes, deep within my mind. I couldn't get a look at him directly, as the shadows themselves seemed to move and sway around him like they were puppets and he the puppeteer.. He loomed over everything in the room like a mountain on the horizon, always seen, but not completely. The frog muttered something about finding it, and they gathered around. A sound of ripping could be heard, and when it was done all the people left. All but the one cloaked in darkness. He came right up to where I hid, and ripped the entire side of the building out. I looked this horror in the eye, the only thing not covered by the shadows. He looked at me and laughed, in a voice all to mechanical to be made by any living think. "It would be so easy to kill you right now, young Cooper. But then again, it will prove nothing. Enjoy the last few minutes of your fathers life. He has not long left among this world of the living, and he shall soon join his forefathers, just as I have always done to your family." With that, the monstrosity walked out of the ruined building and took flight into the night. I stumbled over to my father, crying tears of pure sorrow. My father looked at me, and with his last few breaths said."Rise up, young boy, and make yourself a legend. Know this son, I have always loved you..." The last remnants of life left his tattered body, and I was left alone to weep over my loss.

I suddenly snapped back into the present, and saw that I was sobbing here as well. I pulled my self together. But in this thought, another image appeared as well. The face of the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She was in a cave, with a man that was hooked up to a strange machine was in front of her, crumpled in a heap, with me unconscious beside her. She tried to rouse me, to tell me something. Something, but th image fadded, with just her face eched into my mind. Then I saw what my mask had been doing this time. It had awoken everything in the HUD. A Small, disembodied woman's head appeared in the corner (use the Adjunct's voice from StarCraft). "Greetings, and welcome to the Athletic and Combat Exo-skeletal Suit powered armor. The on board medic has detected symptoms of amnesia. Lacking a treatment method. I shall fill you in on the important details as per mission orders. Firstly, you are probably wondering who you are and where you are at. You are Sylvestere 'Shadow' Theivious Cooper, last surviving member of the Cooper family, a line of thieves going back to Eygpt, who have only stolen from those who are thieves themselves. You are also the protector of the ancient manuscript know as the Thievious Raccoonus, current location unknown. However, a electronic copy is available on file. You are currently located atop the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Next, suit functions. This suit, commonly abbreviated as ACES, is made from an advanced synthetic metal capable of not only stopping and completely absorbing the force of a 16 in. naval rifle using just a 2 inch plate, but not be dented or transfer any energy release on impact into the wearer. It enhances you physical capabilities to unheard of levels. You are capable of lifting a ten ton weight, running indefinitely at 250mph, and leaping nearly 400 ft. vertically, or, depending on velocity, one and a half miles horizontally. The suit is powered by a advanced ultra compact fusion reactor, powered by water that it condenses from the air. The reason you are in possession of the suit however, is not in my files. Weaponry in your possession, the Cooper Cane and the gunblade, the katana on your back. With the push of a button, it converts into a marksman pistol, a precision weapon with a two mile range. Ammo capacity, unlimited. "

This was a bit to much. Here I am, with no memories besides the stuff the suit has told me and that flashback, and I am told that I am a thief with a super villain grade suit. Then again, it could be fun. However, the suit's next words took my by surprise.

"Sniper detected, drawing bead on you!"

This broke me out of my train of thought. I dogged off the side of the tower as a 15mm slug impacted the to of the tower, sparking off of the iron structure. I hurtled down the building. At About 100 ft off the ground, I grabbed my cane and latched onto the side of the tower, and using my momentum flipped up onto the frame that supports the tower. However, the sniper was already firing again. I decided to leap off the building entirely and try to get to the sniper and disable him. However, I had a few other problems. When I glanced up I saw an impossible sight. I was surrounded by an army of robots. There were about a hundred in all, but they were beefy monsters. Each one was nearly 7 ft tall according to the suit's HUD. They were humanoid, with a green color to the armor and a single red eye seated deep in the center of their heads. In one hand they all held what my HUD identified as a 30 milliliter machine cannon, and in the other was some kind of axe with a glowing red edge. A large rectangular shield was mounted on the arm with the gun, completing the rather crazy look. And standing in front of them were two smaller things, obviously alive by the way that they acted. One was a 5'8 mouse with slightly purple skin and flowing blond hair. The other was a type of bird that I couldn't identify, looking to be about 6'6 and about 200lbs of muscles He wore the same armor as the mouse, albeit larger: A breastplate and leggings mad out of what the HUD was reading as tungsten and depleted uranium. The armor was painted a dull green with red highlights on the edges. On their backs were two hard points for weaponry and and both were occupied. The mouse had the rifle from earlier, along with a belt fed 40mm grenade launcher. The bird, on the other hand, had a a 10mm assault rifle and a katana, similar to mine. The mouse spoke up first.

"Well, If it isn't a Sly Cooper. You must be Sly, he was the last with that cane." I had no clue how this wonan knew who I was. But for some reason, her voice brought to mind trust, friendship... and betrayal and a broken heart.

"Who are you?" I asked honestly. I knew that I had known her from somewhere.

"What's the game Cooper? You couldn't forget me not after what I did. Wait a minute, where did you get that gear? You had nothing of the sort when you vanished." What did she mean?

"I can't remember who you are, but get out of my way or else you will regret it!" This struck Penelope as truly odd. Even after what she had done, he had not reacted like this. Was it possible?

"This could work to my advantage, Cooper not knowing friend from foe.", she mused, and muttered something to Terry, to which he nodded eagerly. "Men, attack the scum and destroy him once and for all!" At this command the robotic grunts lunged at Sly. But he was ready. The ACES suit would make its debut here and now.

Sly unsheathed his katana and a grin crossed his covered face. If it is a fight you want, then it is a fight you shall get! ACES, let's go!"

"Roger, AI ready," replied the floating head.

Six grunts lunged forwards at him, axes held high for a overhead chop. Sly ducked around behind them with a quick burst of speed, his katana slicing through the air to fast for normal eyes to see. He emerged from behind the robots, which slid apart with four distinct cuts through each limb, rendering them useless.

Penelope was shocked. She knew that the limbs had less armor then the rest of the body, but that sword went through it like a laser through butter! These robots were made out of a much more durable and heavier form of the armor that she and Terry wore, a mix of two very strong materials, and yet it seemed insignificant as Sly lunged at a seventh bot and went straight through the armor. There was only one material that she knew off that could do this, and only three other people knew of it. Sly was not one of them. "But then how did he get a sword of it? And unless I am mistaken," she thought as ten of her men opened fire on Sly, only to see the rounds bounce off of him like water on a duck," the armor he is wearing is the same. How did he get that much of the material?"

Sly weaved through another hail of fire, as he decided to try the gun mode of the gunblade. He found the button on the side of the hilt and pressed it. A line appeared along the length of the blade and it split in two. The hilt of the blade rotated along a mechanism inside of it, turning into a curved pistol grip, with a part of it flipping out to form the trigger. The blade folded in on itself to shorten the length down to a foot long barrel, with the actual pistol barrel inside of it. This entire transformation lasted a split second. A cross hairs appeared on the HUD, but he needed no explanation of this function. Wherever the gun went, the cross hair went. Drawing a bead on a cluster of robots he pulled the trigger. When he pulled the trigger, a small particle accelerator energized a group of molecules in the air and fired them at the robots. The particle rounds went in one side of the group and out the other before dissipating a little over two miles away. Twelve robots fell to the ground, leaving Penelope with only seventy-one left. The robots had yet to even scratch Sly's suit.

This was a losing proposition. Even if her men were just robots, they took time to replace. She decided to leave. "Men, fall back to the dropship! Terry, try and hold Sly while the ship gets here!"

"With pleasure, my mistress!", bellowed Terry as he plunged into the fray. This was where he thrived, one on one, in a fight to the end. He knew that he could only hold Sly, but he also knew that his morals could be used against him, for he wouldn't kill him. He also was ready to initiate his Mistress's plan. He pulled his own blade, which was forged from the same metal as Sly's. The two foes turned and charged at each other. Sly slowed down his reactions as to not kill his opponent, while Terry just tried to by time. It was an intricate performance, with each trying to outmaneuver each other to expose the foe's weakness. Sly Dived under Terry's legs, coming up behind him to try and disarm his foe, while Terry replied by back flipping over Sly to maintain the positions. This was getting no where. So it was time for the gamble."Well, Sly, I see that you have bested my mistress's forces, but Bentley and his team will be another mater.

Bentley? Who the devil is he? If he is with these loons, then he must be bad.. I then noticed that I was distracted by this though. But the bird was no longer fighting me. Instead, he had leaped into a drop ship that had descended to pick up my foes. But he had a few more word left to say.

"You are a worthy foe, Sly Cooper! I look forward to our future fights! Disabled units, initiate code ATA, Ashes To Ashes!" At those words, the machines that I defeated started to quiver. I saw that they were beginning to rust away and turn to sand, right in front of my eyes, drifting away on the winds, leaving not a trace behind. A decent way to cover one's tracks. But then a new group came into view. A odd assortment If I ever saw one. From right to left was a large panada, accompanied by a female one that favored him considerably, both covered with what looked like Chinese fireworks. Beside him was a old koala with a walking stick and an opal that glowed in an odd contrast to the lights around us. Next to him was a purple iguana in the worst suit I had ever seen in my life. Leading the group were three individuals. A massive pink hippo that looked like he could bench press a tank was on the right of the leader. To the left was a turtle, sitting in a cross between a wheelchair, a comic book villain's gear, and a high-tech communications room. And leading them was someone I did recognize somewhat. Though she was now in a gymnast's outfit and wore a mask, she looked so much like the woman I saw that It was scary. Then The hippo spoke.

"Bentley!," At this I drew my blade again ready for combat with my new foes.

What truths can lies hid? When used right

they can turn friends to foes. But can

the lies ever be overcome, or

will this be a tale of friends

now made foes?

We will

see.

AN: Whew, that was a long type. Well guys this is my first action scene in the story, and my first ever. I

need some feedback here. Also, I am now openly looking for a OC character. He will be the leader of a minor group of criminals that Sly will take down to get back into thieving shape. Please give a brief description of the OC, some history, the criminal act they are in, and their thugs. Like the game, there need to be two rooftop types and one flashlight type guard. Also, I made two references in this one to the mecha anime which I love so much. One is a bit obscure, so I will tell you here: when the robots self destruct in ATA, it is using the same self destruct code as the Shadow Mirror androids from Super Robot Taisen OG: The Inspectors. The one you must find is the robots that I referenced somewhat with Penelope's robo goons. Here is a hint: The father of the real robot genre. I hope to see plenty of thoughts on this one guys. Fanus Obscurus, signing off.