Sly was unlocking the canon as I had adjusted my spear into daggers and slipped them into a holster. I took a good look at our surroundings, thankful that we would be done and out of here within the hour hopefully.

"Are we both going to fit in there?" I peered in as Sly already made himself comfortable.

"Don't worry, I'll be going in first. I'll be there to steady your landing," He tipped his hat as to ease the tension of the current situation. We were going to launch ourselves onto the blimp of the first member of the Fiendish Five. His anxiety was palpable, but I'm sure as soon as he sees Raleigh he'll be fine. He'll want to pummel his face in, but he'll be fine.

I watched as he soared up into the dark sky, seeming as if the rain didn't affect him at all. I quickly followed suit, taking in how quickly the ground seemed to disappear from my feet. Upon landing, I just barely managed to squeeze through the broken window Sly already crashed into. He caught and helped me regain my balance. No broken extremities, no bruises, so far so good.

Across the room, in an unecessarily tall throne, sat Sir Raleigh, certainly displeased with our grand entrance.

"How delightful. We have a guest. The only thing is... I HATE UNEXPECTED GUESTS!" I flinched at how quickly he changed from calm and collected to the deepest inferno of hell.

"Listen, Raleigh. Wipe out my family and steal what's mine, you better expect company" Sly said taking a step forward towards him. There's our hero.

"Ohhhhhh, I'm every so sorry. How sloppy of me not to finish the job. Obviously we should have snuffed you out as well. Not to mention it seems like we missed the little Lorian in the mess," I perked up, confused.

"You don't know anything about me, don't talk as if you do!" I interjected. I was only in this mess to help a life-long friend to put back together his family's heirloom. Raleigh chuckled.

"Oh I know quite a lot, but don't worry you'll join your father soon enough," I felt a pang in my chest, and then I felt nothing but rage. " So, without further ado, let me make amends by, what- BLOATING TO GARGANTUAN SIZE, AND SQUASHING YOU LIKE THE INSIGNIFICANT BUG THAT YOU ARE!"

"Bring it on!" I had completely forgotten Sly was right beside before I heard his voice and felt hand pull my arm. I turned towards him, but my eyes not leaving Raleigh as he swallowed one of the many flies buzzing about. He did bloat to gargantuan size, and I guess I had underestimated how big he could actually become.

"Don't get distracted, Marie. He'll be focused on me for the most part, just be careful not to fall off the platforms. I'll go this way" Sly ruffled my hair before taking off to the next platform.

I watched as Raleigh bounced off his throne and onto Sly's platform. He hopped from corner to corner, Sly was dashing around as to avoid being crushed. I jumped from platform to platform, hoping that I'd be able to get him from behind. Raleigh lost his breath and returned to his regular small stature. I quickly clasped the ends of my daggers together, putting together my spear as I jumped on the platform right beside Sly's. Before Raleigh could fall into the water, I used the distance to my advantage. I forced one end of the spear just below the water before forcing it up like a shovel.

"Sly! Hit him now!" I called out, and he did not delay. Sly slashed him with his cane. throwing him flying into the wall. Raleigh quickly recovered, finding another fly to swallow. Then before I could move, the platform below me started to sink. I jumped onto Sly's platform, barely making it. Sly caught me by my free arm, hoisting me up to stand properly. But before I could thank him, Raleigh launched himself between us.

"Nowhere to run now!" Raleigh laughed maniacally as he continued to bounce around, now targeting me. I dashed, I rolled, all in the attempt to avoid him. For a moment I couldn't focus on anything. My vision was blurry and it felt like I was going to fall over. Everything almost went dark, but I was tugged to the side just as Raleigh crashed down, exhausted. Sly swiped his cane at his tired physique and fell into the water. "You will both fall like your fathers! I did it once, and I can do it again!"

"Do you think you can jump? You don't have to make any other move, just as long as you can jump?" I nodded before he took my hand and pulled me as we jumped from platform to platform, as Raleigh chased after us. His desperation was catching up to him as I felt his tongue wrap around our ankles. We fell back onto the platform behind us, landing on our sides facing each other. "Time for plan B?"

"We didn't even have a plan A!" I replied frantically, trying to think quickly. I tried to sit up as much as I could, dismantling my spear into daggers. I then used the butt of one of them and slammed it down onto his tongue. Raleigh immediately let go, dizzy from the pain. Sly then jumped up back into the action, giving him one more blow, and causing him to land in the water. Raleigh had stopped fighting back.

"Blath ith all! You'fe beathen me!" I didn't think I did that much damage, I even avoided using the blade to avoid making it all bloody. Sly and I shared a snicker.

"Well, gnoath all you wanth, Thy Cooper. You guyth are no math for Muggthot, my vinnainouth cohorth in Uthah"

"Can you understand what he's saying?" I asked Sly

"Nope," he replied carelessly, jumping off towards the safe beside Raleigh's throne.

I jumped after him and peered over his shoulder to take a look of what pages of the Thievius Raccoonus Sly had found.

"Who's that?"

"My Ancestor, Rioichi Cooper. With this I can finally learn the Ninja Spire Jump" he replied, quite satisfied with his new find.

"Look at you, already excited to put it to use" I nudged him a bit, congratulating him on getting the first couple pages of his book.

"Sly! Marie! We gotta get outta here now!" We heard Bentley panic over our earpieces, as well as the distant sound of police sirens.

"Sure thing, let's get going" Sly replied grabbing my hand once again and dashing off.

"How are we supposed to get off this blimp?" now I started panicking, and it seemed to give Sly a laugh.

"Just trust me, there's always a way." He looked back, flashing a smile at me. The worry seemed to wash away after that.

On the field already -Mirai Akemi