WE ARE FAMILY-PART I

Bennet walked through the dark, night-lit valley of Emperor Land. A voice said "hey, Bennet. Over here."

"Show yourself!" Bennet ordered, but Dor-Toh said from the shadows "you're alone. Good."

"Are you the one with information about the thieves."

"What would you say if I handed you the Master Thief?"

"I'd say what's in it for you?"

"I'll just sleep better knowing he's off the streets. And on the executioner's block!"

"Everyone knows that the Master Thief cannot be caught! What miracle do you possess?"

Meanwhile, Ardel and Mary visited the Thieves lair to greet everyone. Ravage, the only other female of the group, said "hey guys! The Master's back!"

"Great to see you, boss!" Jinno said, Wrecker adding "we've haven't been stealing without ya, don't worry!"

"It's great to see you guys too." Ardel said proudly. "Anyone come after us yet?"

"Not so far, sir. We've been pretty quiet. Whoa!" a Chinstrap penguin said as he fell over, a Chinstrap penguin saying "nice one, clumsy!"

"We've been over this, my name is Xandler!" the gentoo said before the Chinstrap put one of his many knives to his throat. Xandler said "okay, Molti. Codfather. Put the knife away!"

As Mary talked to the other thieves, Xandler said "so, have you been stealing anything?"

Mary said "you know what, I stole this from Gloria the other day!" as she pulled out a small ice broach. As the thieves cheered, Ravage talked to Ardel in private.

"So, how long are you staying in Emperor Land?" she asked, Ardel saying "I won't be gone forever, you know. I need to get something there."

"Be back soon." Ravage said as they kissed.

Mary and Ardel walked back to Emperor Land over the top of a glacier, not noticing Slink, Larry and Bennet at the bottom of the glacier and at the foot of the hideout.

Slink said "are you sure this is the place, Bennet?"

"I'm sure I'm sure!" Bennet said as they drew their swords and attacked.

Back at Emperor Land, preparations were made for the annual October festival, but not everyone was celebrating.

Hellas, Glen, Mark and Danny waited outside the healing room. Julius stepped out and said she's awake now.

They went into the room, where Carina sat in a bed. Aside from a broken flipper and a scar across her left eye, she had all but recovered from her injuries.

"Well, the bright side is that I wonny be here far long." Carina said, no longer hiding her real accent. "I dunny think Elil's gonny want me back though."

"I knew you were staying here for a reason." Hellas laughed.

As Ardel and Mary returned to Emperor Land, Ardel saw the preparations and said "what's goin' on here?"

"It's the October festival. We do it every year." Mary explained. "That's why we put the Sceptre on display. You know(checks they're alone), where you tried to steal it."

That night, Ardel talked to Carina and Hellas, the latter saying "well, I'm glad you two stuck around to see this festival. It was very exciting when I first moved here."

Carina said "I've heard only good things. So, what about that Sceptre. Is it true there's an Oracle there?"

"Aye, saw it with me own two eyes. Ask it anything. You could find out about your future, yar past, you could even find the Pentagon of Plutus if y'asked."

"It's a myth." Carina said as she relaxed. Ardel said "that's not true. Is it, dad?"

"The Pentagon of Plutus is a hundred and ten percent the real thing. The Ultimate treasure. I'd have looked for it me-self if it wasn't for Rodan."

"Mom used to tell me stories about it." Ardel said sadly, sighing as he looked to the floor. "I liked those stories."

"I know boy, I miss her as well."

"You'll pay for this! You sold us out!" were the voices coming from the crowded cell where thirty-three of the thieves were being held. Dor-Toh ignored their complaints and closed the small door window, saying "Where is he! He's not in there!"

Dor-Toh stormed back into the room, saying to Bennet "you didn't capture the Master Thief?!"

"Because he wasn't at the hideout!" Bennet answered. Dor-Toh said "he had to be there! Where else would he be!"

"My apologies Bennet." Larry said as he entered. Dor-Toh and Bennet answered "what?!"

"Well, Julius said he won't be able to sentence your prisoners until tomorrow."

"What's more important than sentencing my prisoners?!"

"Well, it's the October festival. Mary insisted tha-

"Mary? You didn't capture her with the others?!"

"And why would she be with those thieves?" Bennet asked, Dor-Toh groaning and saying "urgh! Because Hellas' son Ardel is the Master Thief!"

Meanwhile, at the treasury, Alex looked through the locked door and saw the sceptre as Ardel and Katniss showed up.

"Here's a lockpick. You know how to use it." Alex said.

"Listen to me, Wolfsworth. You too Katniss." Ardel said as he grabbed the sceptre. "After this, I go straight!"

"Straight to the dungeon." Bennet said as he entered. Ardel grabbed a sword to defend himself.

"We've been expecting you." Slink said before the guards entered and Ardel dropped the weapon.

Meanwhile, back at the festival, the group waited for Ardel, Alex and Katniss to return.

"Where could they be?" Gloria asked. Hellas said "I don't know. They could be anywhere."

"I'll sniff 'em out." Meg said as she tried to follow Ardel's trail. "Does anyone have a shoe of a piece of clothing he wears?"

Suddenly, she came across Ardel's robe, saying "hey I found him. Oh.", looking up to see Ardel, Alex and Katniss under arrest.

"Ardel?!" Hellas said, Gloria saying "Katniss?!"

Julius said Bennet. Slink. What is the meaning of this?

"Master Julius." Slink said as he pushed Ardel forward. "I present to you... The Master Thief!

Hellas went to help his son, before the guards held him back, Bennet saying "found him in the treasury! He was after this! Again." Bennet said as he passed Julius the Sceptre.

"No." Hellas said quietly, before Larry pushed Alex and Katniss forwards, saying "and we took the liberty to bring his accomplices."

"Alex?!" Meg said angrily, Alex saying "this is a misunderstanding. It deserves more of a uh... slap on the wrist, community service sort of thing."

"Now I know why you really came back." Hellas said with a venomous disappointment in his voice. Ardel dropped his head in shame as Winter said "your son... is the leader of the United Robbers League? This is... you know... it's... argh!"

Winter talked to Natalie as Mumble said "Hellas. Did you uh... know?"

"(sigh) I thought I could change him." Hellas said. "I had to try."

"I'm sorry Dad." Ardel said. "You can change my clothes, but... you can't change who I am."

"And the law is crystal clear on what we must now do!" Slink said.

Mumble went to Winter and said "isn't there another way?"

"I'm sorry Mumble. No." Winter sighed. "Take the prisoners to the dungeon."

"Dungeon?!" Alex and Katniss said simultaneously, Winter closing his eye and reluctantly saying "for life."

Meg said "Mumble, you have to do something!"

"I can't. Alright. I just can't." Mumble answered as he walked away. As Alex, Ardel and Katniss were chained and escorted away, A.P.R.I.T.I.O.N comforted Hellas and said "there are some wishes even I cannot make come true."

Hellas sighed and walked away, A.P.R.I.T.I.O.N saying "oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to decieve."

Back at Hellas' shack, A.P.R.I.T.I.O.N, Carina, Meg and Hellas sat sulking. "(sigh) You were right, Appy." Hellas said. "Ardel was trapped in the world of those thieves. Trapped by his own greed."

He pulled the curtain aside and looked at the dungeon that was in the distance. He said "I was stupid to think I could change him!"

"Trying to show your son a better life wasn't stupid Hellas." A.P.R.I.T.I.O.N said, Carina adding "leaving him alone with Katniss and that thieving brother of yours was stupid! No offence." to Meg.

"None taken. Alex just gets so obsessive when there's treasure involved." Meg sulked. Hellas said "everything was bloody perfect before he showed up!"

"Well, Elil was obsessed with killing you. Reddington was slaughtering Chinstraps. I wouldn't exactly call that perfect." Carina said.

"But still." Hellas said. "I just want things to be the way they were."

He thought for a moment, and he had an idea. He turned back, a serious look on his face as he said "A.P.R.I.T.I.O.N. I need my son's clothes."

A.P.R.I.T.I.O.N laughed nervously and said "ha ha. Come on now Hellas. I don't know why you'd want to wear the Master Thief ensemble. I think you look better dressed like that."

A.P.R.I.T.I.O.N pulled out Ardel's Master Thief cape and mask, Carina saying "Hellas. You can't do this. How about you wear something that doesn't just shout ARREST ME!"

Hellas put on the cape and mask, saying "it fits. That's good." pulling up the hood as he turned around, Meg and Carina being shocked at how much he looked like Ardel in costume.

"Hellas, don't even think about it!" Meg said, APRITION banging his head against the wall stressfully as he said "I'm having a vision. I'm seeing... I'm seeing... NOTHING for your future if you do this!"

"I'm going to break Ardel out of that dungeon. And Katniss. And your brother." Hellas said, Meg saying "Hellas don't!", biting onto the cape to hold him back before tripping over. Hellas pulled the mask over his face, leaving only his eyes uncovered as he said "the guards'll never know I was there. Tonight, The Master Thief makes his most miraculous escape ever... out of my life!", A.P.R.I.T.I.O.N saying "it's the cape talking, isn't it?"

In the dungeon, Ardel sat miserably, with Katniss saying "okay, I've started making marks on the wall. I'd say the tunnel would get us out of here in about... five hundred years."

"What about you? The Master Thief! You've escaped things worse than this!" Alex said.

"What's the point!" Ardel answered back. "My own father hates me!"

"Hey, at least you knew your dad. You know, my dad used to beat my Aunt and she ended up murdering him with an axe!"

Outside the dungeon, Hellas hid behind a rock as Slink and Larry walked past, the latter saying "since he captured The Master Thief, there's no living with Bennet!"

Hellas noticed the keys to the dungeon on Slink's belt, slipping past to grab them as Larry said "it's not like there was any living with him before."

Slink heard the noise of the keys as Hellas grabbed them, turning around and seeing nothing. He shrugged and continued to walk forward.

Ardel continued to sulk, until he heard the doors unlocking. He stood up and saw the blue cape of his Master Thief clothes, saying "who are you and where'd you get th-"

"I came to say goodbye!" Hellas said stubbornly as he pulled down the mask. "Oh, thank Heaven. My prayers have been answered." Alex said as Hellas unlocked the chains, saying "you don't have much time. While the guards chase me, you get out!"

"Dad, I can't let yo-"

"Forget it!" Hellas said as he headed out, throwing down the keys as he added "they canny catch me."

As Hellas left, Ardel smiled and picked up the keys, saying "he even sounds like me. You know, without the accent."

Back outside the dungeon, Bennet looked in a mirror, combing his feathers proudly as Slink and Larry sat annoyed. Hellas, once again fully masked, walked past the doorway behind them slowly to get Bennet's attention.

"When Julius gives me my due, I'll put my good word in for you. The... little people who... what the?!" Bennet said as he saw what appeared to be the Master Thief, who dashed past the door as he added "it can't be!"

Slink, Larry and Bennet rushed outside to catch the convict, Hellas hanging from the ceiling as Slink said "Bennet. Your pride is making you see things!"

"He was here! I know he was! I just know it!" Bennet said, Hellas dropping down to knock the three off their feet.

"The Master Thief!" Larry said, a terrified tone in his voice as Hellas ran through the doorway. "No penguin could escape that cell!" Slink said, Larry saying "he isn't a penguin I say! He's a demon!"

"I want him dead or alive!" Bennet shouted. They chased the Master Thief out into Emperor Land, Bennet saying "surround the block. He's here. I can feel it!"

Hellas climbed up a glacier, Larry seeing him and saying "there! On the roof!"

"After him!" Bennet said as they followed Hellas, who noticed another glacier and saw the guards, Slink saying "found him!"

Hellas jumped across to the next glacier, Larry saying "lost him!" as Hellas climbed the glacier without being seen.

Hellas jumped onto the lower floor, before Bennet grabbed his foot and said "gotcha!"

The hood and mask stayed on Hellas' face as he turned to face Bennet, who got out a sword and said "the Master Thief. I'm afraid your charmed life is over, sensei!" as he swung the sword at the Master Theif's head, the latter rolling out the way as Bennet impaled the hood.

The Master Thief pulled himself free, causing the hood and mask to come off. Bennet saw this and said "you!"

Hellas saw the mask on the ground and said "yes. Me!"

"Well, I'll have to settle for Master Sr!" Bennet said as he raised his sword, before another penguin bashed him aside, knocking Bennet unconscious.

"Keep your hands off my dad!" Ardel said, Hellas saying "Ardel?!"

"Let's go dad. Come on!"

Hellas and Ardel escaped on skuas, Alex and Katniss sharing a skua that followed them to a glacier outside of Emperor Land.

"Did we lose them?" Alex asked, Katniss stepping off and saying "I don't know but I did lose my lunch back there!"

"They won't be able to pick up our trail til morning. By then, we'll be long gone." Ardel said as he, Alex and Katniss set off by foot. Hellas sighed and stood still, Ardel saying "Dad. Let's go!"

"I'm not going with you." Hellas said. "I canny do that."

"Dad, you can't go back!" Ardel said, Alex adding "yeah. The moment they saw your face your life in Emperor Land was over."

"I have to go back. We all have our place in the world."

"Hellas, it's over. You're a criminal now." Katniss reasoned.

"I won't do what you did. I won't run away." Hellas said.

"I never ran away from anything in my life!" Ardel answered.

"You ran away from yar mother! Who was there to protect her when I wasn't? You?"

"I told you what happened! What else could I do? What else could you do?!"

Hellas pulled out his dagger and said "the right thing! You should have this." as he threw the trinket to the ground.

"You can't do this, Dad!"

"I won't walk out on them!"

"Dad!"

"I'm yar father Ardel. But I canny live yar life!"

"Come on Hellas!" Alex said. "They'll lock y'up!"

"If there's a punishment. (sigh) I'll take it."

"But we have the sceptre. The treasure's just waiting for us!" Katniss said, Hellas saying "the sceptre?!"

Ardel sighed and said "I had nothing left to lose!"

"Aye. You did." Hellas said as he turned back to Emperor Land.

Alex said "but... it was supposed to be a father-son outing!"

Katniss sighed and said "come on. Let's get outta here. Good luck Hellas. May Guin be with you."

Back in the lair of the thieves, Jinno said "the Forty Thieves down to five. What are we gonna do?!"

Xandler said "how did they find us?", before the doors suddenly opened. Wrecker said "another raid?!" as Molti said "it's a good day to die!"

"Or a good day to come back from the dead!" a voice said.

The thieves gasped as Xandler said "Dor-Toh?!", Molti saying "you're alive?" as Jinno said "that ain't possible!"

"I am a survivor, like all of you." Dor-Toh said as he entered. "No thanks to Ardel!"

"The Master? What does he want us to do?" Wrecker asked.

"He wants you to rot in Emperor Land's dungeon!"

"Uh-uh!" Jinno disagreed. "The Master Thief is loyal to the end!" he added before Dor-Toh shoved him aside and said "pushover! He betrayed you, sold you out!"

"You've always hated the Master Thief!" Molti said. "Why should we believe a word y'say!"

"How do you think the guards found out where you were?"

"He told them where the hideout was?" Ravage said, Jinno saying "lies! I don't believe this!"

"Me neither!" the other thieves said in unison, Dor-Toh laughing as he said "ha ha, you've forgotten what life was like before Ardel!"

Dor-Toh: I remember a time
When crime was sublime,
There was plenty of loot in the lair.

We'd plunder and pillage,
And ransack a village,
With nary a worry or care!

Then along came this king
With his soft-hearted dream,
But he ratted us out in the end,

So rally the troops!
We were meant to regroup,
And return to our roots once again!

Are you in or out?
Gotta know without a doubt!

I'm the one you need for a dirty deed,
I'm the best, success is guaranteed!

Are you men or mice?
Take a slice of my advice!

You want a fearless leader, one that's strong and stout?
Better vote for me.

Are you in or out?

Xandler: We used to be smart,
Ravage: Yes. Horrendously heartless
Molti: In ravaging raids, we were rough

Thieves(without Jinno and Wrecker): We knew what we had
To be blissfully bad;
Then Ardel brought this sensitive stuff!

And we strayed from the path
Of our rigorous wrath;
Now we're taking a bath in the dust!

But we'll reclaim our winnings,
Our humble beginnings,
In turmoil and torture we trust!

Are you in or out?

Jinno: Look, I'll have no part in th-

Dor-Toh: Double-crossers or devout?

Put your faith in me,
Pretty soon you'll see
I'm the prince of generosity

Thieves: Are you foe or friend?

Dor-Toh: Here's the path I recommend!

You want a ride to fame?
I've got the fastest route;

What's it gonna be?
Are you in or out?

Molti: We'll go robbing in all the right places,

Ravage: From Emperor Land to Bali

Xandler: Imagine the fear on their faces
When we drop by for cookies and tea

Dor-Toh: Come along, now!
Follow me!

Dor-Toh and thieves(without Jinno and Wrecker): Are you in or out?

Wrecker: Count me out!

Dor-Toh: If you're with me, give a shout
(Yeah!) I'll lead you all the way,
Into the glory days,

Molti: We'll begin a life of crime that pays!

Ravage: Are you out or in?

Xandler: Make your choice now, sink or swim!

Dor-Toh: You can stick with me, or stay behind and pout

Thieves: What's it gonna be?

Dor-Toh: Consider carefully.

All: Are you in or out?

To be continued...