Ch38: Panda King's Turmoil
After Bentley decided to get the Panda King on our side for the Cooper Vault job (and with some negative commentary from Sly on that matter), we were now headed for his shrine in China, having to walk the whole way due to how the plane was still damaged and we didn't have the van... YET.
"Um... Mr. King? Honorable Panda King? We humbly wish to speak with you!" Bentley yelled up to the Panda King. He didn't answer. He was deep in meditation. "Looks like he doesn't wanna talk... sorry guys, let's go," Sly tried to say. "Aw? You scared, Sly?" Neyla asked, intentionally poking fun at him. "No! I'm not scared!" he frowned immediately. "I just... have issues with him..." "Well at least you're honest," Opal smirked.
"I think I know how we can get up to Mr. King's shrine, but I'll need you guys to trust me, okay?" I asked. Everyone nodded. "Okay. Murray, you use the ball form to climb up there since I can't lift you. Meanwhile Opal and I will give everyone else a lift up there and I'll even topple that large sign thingy to make a ramp to him. Okay?" Murray nodded and went into ball form, hopping from his position to the other end of the cliff while Opal and I lifted up Penelope and Bentley respectively and managed to carry them to the small area by the shrine.
I went back for Sly and smiled, having him hop on my back as I lifted him... though I immediately regretted it as he held onto me in a... tender place. "Aahh! Sly!" I exclaimed, removing his hands from my boobs as we landed. "S-Sorry!" he gulped, looking for a way out of it. "If you're THAT desperate, at least wait until we have a room, okay?" I frowned. "R-Right... sorry again." "Just warn me if you plan to hold onto me from that area.
I didn't even notice it as I spoke but Opal had already knocked over the large partition with a puff of purple air, allowing for easy access to the Panda King. We finally got up there and Sly started to talk his nonsense as I simply sat down next to the Panda King. "Opal? You know what to do, right?" I asked, knowing she could see the future. "Yes. I'll merge your thoughts with him..." she said, her body glowing as I felt my conscious mind slipping away...
When I entered the Panda King's conscience, I knew his meditation would be different than the 3rd game with Sly fighting him... but I didn't know what to expect. The area around me was all foggy but I could hear a distant crying in the distance. It was Panda King. "Hey," said a voice like, right next to me. I looked to my right only to be stunned to see Neyla in her actual form!
"Whaaaat?" I asked like a Youtube-er. "Trust me: I didn't expect this either. But... at least we can work together here," she smiled, grabbing onto my hand awkwardly. "O-Okay..." I gulped. We proceeded forward and saw the Panda King sitting on the ground, crying about something that I already knew about. "Rough time, huh?" I asked, the Panda King stopping his tears momentarily.
He sighed and looked back at me, not surprised at all to see Neyla. "What is it that you want, Sylvia Martin?" he asked, a look of sadness in his eyes. "To help you get your daughter back," I sighed. When I said this, his face immediately contorted to one of surprise. "H-How did you know I have a daughter?" he asked. "Because... I know. I just know. It's very difficult to explain..." I admitted. "Hmm... I choose to believe you... but... how did you get here is the question..." "I had a friend help me."
"Um... hello? Am I chopped liver or something?" Neyla frowned. "Maybe," I smirked, Neyla giving me a slight whip on the arm with her tail. "Hmm... you two get along I see..." Panda King smiled for once. "There's that smile!" I grinned at him. "Now what do you say we go get her back?" I asked. "In return we ask that you join us to do a job on the Cooper Vault." Panda King mulled for a bit and finally nodded. "Indeed... I shall assist once my daughter is freed from her captor..." "We've got a deal then!"