Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Stolen My Heart. Enjoy the 1600-word chapter. I do not own Sly Cooper; Naughty Dog and a few others do.
Ray looked at the raccoon in the pale moonlight. He did not trust them, he did not trust much of anyone, but someone claiming to be a Cooper was something that made his blood boil like nothing else. Whatever as of now.
This was to be something before now. Whatever came down to this when he seemed to be a lot more to question before slowly starting to back away. He knew a traitor as of now when it came down to it.
He was either mocking him as a Cooper or just plain trying to rip them apart by being one. Still? if it was to be that way? He would rather die than let some scumbag diss as now and hurt his family, rip apart what he had done and dusted before now. it had been the worst thing in their life.
The most terrible part of this. He hated the simple idea that someone had been trying to use his family and his pain to their advantage. He might have been a thief, but at least he had some sort of idea about what rules he could and would break.
This was not as if it had been some terrible idea, one which would affect more people than she expected as of now. It had been far worse than that.
Far, far worse than anything he could or would do for now when it was all said and done
"You're going to tell me YOU'RE A Cooper?" Ray asked an eyebrow raised as he did so. "Don't, I might be good for nothing thief, but even I wouldn't stoop that low to rip off someone's family," Ray said as he shook his head at the raccoon with his cane held towards him.
"Well, you're the one holding a cane at the moment, you want to tell me why?" The raccoon said as both began to circle each other. "You're mad at me for that?" The raccoon asked as he raised his eyebrow.
"Maybe because I don't like people messing with my family," Ray said, leaning on his cane as he did so. "I have been on the streets long enough to know my family was wiped out. There has not been a Cooper besides me and my parents. If you are a Cooper? Why did they never tell me about you?" Ray questioned as his eyes narrowed.
Both shared a look of interest toward the other. The duo was starting to study each other, taking in their appearances now.
"Which branch of the Cooper clan are you from?" Sly asked as Ray hummed. "Ever heard of the Fiendish Five?" Sly questioned to which he nodded.
"Yeah, a bunch of criminals who killed my great uncle and aunt, why?" Ray asked as he raised an eyebrow. "Mom said they were all wiped out. Second? I am from the European branch, why are you asking?" Ray asked as he raised his eyebrow.
"Wait, I've heard about that branch…" Sly questioned as he turned to look around. "You wouldn't happen to Alistair's son, would you?" Sly asked as Ray blinked.
'How!? How did he know that!?' Ray questioned as Sly slowly walked toward him.
"I'm Sly, Conner's son, ever heard of them?" Sly questioned as Ray blinked.
"Yeah, but they're supposed to be…" Ray started to say as Sly nodded. "Wait, your SLY COOPER!? The same one who got that book back and took down the Fiendish Five?" Ray questioned, his eyes widening in shock.
He looked up at the glowing moon, unable to fathom how this had been. It felt like a dream, however. He did not fully believe it, not yet. That was a BIG thing to claim for them all, a big thing that had not yet gotten anywhere and he assumed it might never be when all of this was decided for now.
"No, my dad said you guys all wiped out, gone, dust in the wind," Ray said as he aimed his cane at Sly. "That is impossible, it is a lie. It is terrible, why would you say that?" Ray questioned as he raised an eyebrow.
"Because I know about who your family is," Sly responded as Ray raised his cane. "What would I lie for? What do I get from that when you think about it?" Sly questioned to which Ray raised an eyebrow, curious as to what he meant.
"Everyone lies," Ray stated while he shook his head, backing away towards the edge of the rooftop. "Even me. I have been around plenty of people whom I trusted, but then they stab me in the back. They always stab me in the back." Ray added before he turned around.
"Hey…" Sly said before the raccoon dropped off the building, vanishing into the shadows as he paused and then ran.
He ran to the edge of the darkened rooftop. Ray was gone, vanishing into the night. He knew for a fact that the raccoon would pop up again. He had a feeling they would bump into each other.
"Sly, are you there? We lost your signal for a minute." Sly heard, causing him to put a hand to his ear as he did so. "We're picking up a few police helicopters coming your way." Sly heard from Bentley as he hummed.
"Yeah, just catching up on something…" Sly said as he turned to look over his shoulder. "Bentley? Can you look up Alister Cooper? I need to check something." Sly said as he turned away from the roof.
"Isn't he the founder of the Cooper Clan's European branch and your Great Uncle?" Bentley questioned as Sly let out a hum. "I will see what I can dig up. Why do you ask? I thought you said they were all gone." Bentley stated to which Sly hummed.
"Because I think I just met his son." Bentley heard as to which the turtle was curious as to this.
"Wait, what?" Bentley responded, almost thumping the keyboard as he did so. "I thought you said Clockwerk destroyed them to the lowest Cooper," Bentley said to which Sly clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.
There were plenty of differences between the two coopers. The biggest seemed to be the number of times the younger one looked over his shoulder. Sly could see him constantly scout his surroundings before he leaped. He noticed a long interest in the guards before he vanished into the shadows.
'He grew up without someone like Murrey or Bentley to help them. Was that what would have happened if I grew up alone?' Sly asked himself before he shook his head.
He decided to find him when this mission was over. His family was almost everything to him, but he barely knew the younger Cooper. He also did not want to miss the chance to help Murrey get over his former issues with the gang.
"Bentley? Can you tell me if he shows back up?" Sly asked to which the turtle was silent. "Bentley, I know he is not leaving town anytime soon. He is younger, there is a lot less experience in his moves. If he wanted to leave? He would be long gone by now." Sly added while Bentley started to type in commands on his computer.
There was a pause between the duo as the turtle started to think of how to track the Cooper. He did not seem to have anything technological that he could access now. He also did not see anything which was out of place on the man when it came down to it.
Still, there was an amount of interest in this problem. Bentley enjoyed a challenge to his skills. It seemed that the younger Cooper lived off the grid while he checked this data. It just meant more digging into himself to try and handle this as well as he could.
"I'll deal with him, just make sure they don't find out about him," Bentley added to Sly when it came down to it. "If he knows you have family that he can threaten?" Bentley asked to which there was no real answer from Sly to him.
He knew there was no real answer to his problems. He knew they would have plenty of problems on their plate and all this did was add to that pile.
Still? The fact that there were many Coopers left made Sly confused, but it did not do much to surprise him. Clockwerk had loomed atop their family to feast on them like carrion. It did not at all surprise Cooper that there were many members within the clan that he had not found before now.
The fact there was another was not impossible but it did not entirely convince him. Many wished to be part of their clan at the end of the day and he had met a few who tried to be a piece of their clan.
He needed more answers and that meant he needed to catch up to him sooner or later. Sly sighed and started to vanish into the town before he rolled his eyes. The younger Cooper had shown himself sooner or later. It only made sense that he showed himself to make another move in the city.
If he had not? Then Sly planned on finding him by himself. His friends helped but a family event would be weird when it came down to it… And more backup might end with him fleeing rather than waiting and talking about it properly.
Did not help that Sly did not know anything about his friend when it came down to it. He planned to find his friend before something happened to him or another Cooper family enemies tracked him down and ended up trying to kill him.
It worried him a lot but he supposed that was part of still finding family in the world. He knew the world was scary and it had been something he needed to handle for the time being.
Still? What little he knew about the hero meant that he had been in an odd spot when all of this was said and done. Whatever little type of power had been like this was all said and done… But still? He had been a little interested in what this could be.
"Whatever he is like? I am sure he does not want to fight you, though." Sly heard as he hummed and started to look around. "Sly? If he was a Cooper like you? Then we both know he is just a bit scared at the time." Sly heard before he turned to look around at every single little thing of the time being.
Sly was honestly worried about what the warrior would do before now. This had been something that had to be brought to heel before it spun out of control… Before they lost what little they had left.
Sly sighed and left them behind now. He had been a lot more interested in this little dance that had been done for the time being. There was a lot more to say and do before now. He heard more from the others at the time.
This had been oh so interesting as of the second before it had been a lot more questioning about what to do now. This had been a lot worse than he had dealt with now for the time being. What little had been a lot worse than it seemed…. Then again? He had been dealt with for now.
Whatever the Cooper was? he was still family at the end of the day. This had to be handled properly. The sheer fact of the matter was something that he had to be handled for the second while he questioned to see and done for now.
Still? He had been perhaps ready for anything that had been thrown at him no matter what. This was going to be a lot more to be interested in what had been done and dusted. Whatever he had been done and dusted when all had been handled for now as of the time being.
This had to end for now when it came to it though… Whatever little thing this had been before, it had not been nearly enough to throw them off for the time.
He had been a lot more interesting to handle as of the second when it was questioned before it had been a lot more to handle for the time being.
"Sly? How badly do you want to know about this other Cooper? I do not mean to pry… But we do have a mission." Sly heard as he sighed and frowned to himself and looked down at the ground.
He knew this mission had been proper for the second. He had been oh so interested when all had been said and done. He had to be ready for anything… Even if it broke him to pieces and even if it hurt for now as of the second.
He knew that Ray was probably on an odd path, for now, one filled with the very small idea that they would get somewhere without proper training.
There was oh so much to properly contain himself on when it came down to it. They had a lot more to properly do before now when it seemed to handle them as of now.
They had business to conduct, even if something else seemed to be in the way, even if something tried to get in the way. It was not like he could deal with it for now, if anything. He was all too ready for now, oh so prepared for the best. If anything came to shove?
He would be ready for now. He was not focused on whatever he did next. He was oh so unsure of what to do, what this would come down to it.
He tilted his head, perhaps realizing whatever would be focused on for now while he focused on it with all his might if anything. He was not going to be able to properly handle whatever he seemed to be ready for now. Whatever would come now while he tilted his head unsure of what to do and handled whatever this seemed to be capable of.
Yet part of him could guess if he was even a smidge of a cooper like him? his skills would only grow when it came down to it while what to do next. He was oh so curious about what the boy was or would be at the end of the day. He was prepared for the next. He sighed to him while he questioned while he seemed to be sure while he hummed before now.
He was unsure what to do when it came to it before now. He sighed before he rubbed at his temples, unsure before he questions what to do before now. He pondered what would become of Ray if all was said and over before this was done and dusted.
He would not quit, he was a cooper, which could only mean he would push forward even if it ended up getting himself killed, there were more nightmares to face, more monsters to fight… And oh, so much more to fight in the future…
So much more chaotic to depend on, whatever came next? Well, that was up to him.
Then again? There was a lot more to the puzzle than he expected. There was so much to question if anything else. He was not going to be a lot more to do at the end of the day.
There was a lot more to focus on this. He was not going to be before all of this was over with this.
There was a lot more to focus on this for now. He seemed to be capable of more, yet he seemed to understand what to question before now.
This was more to do and a lot more to see coming if anything before now. He had not the key to see this all come apart with now. He was not going to see it done so easily.
Yet? He did not want to focus on it. they had a lot more to focus on before he questioned. This was just too much to feel bad for now and he was all too tired at the end of the day.
He was not going to let it happen before now he seemed to be prepared for now. He seemed to question before now what Ray would do when all of it was said and done.
He was unsure if this could be handled if anything was that simple. Such things rarely came off as it. Yes, he was not sure if he was a Cooper as he did not know about her, but he did know that such things were not going to have been much of a problem.
It rarely if ever made her focused. Such a thing rarely made them bothered.
Yet this? Well, he was scared, but he was not going to let this become something that could or such. It was not a small matter, but it did bother him to the core, to know such things were not going to have been easy. He just did not know what was going to be focused on for now.
He was too unsure of what Ray wanted, but he could guess at least, unsure of what was going to have to focus on such a thing.
He was too unsure about such things, too unsure of what to do, too focused as of the time being, such small things like this were not going to be able to question it.
He was not tired of what to do next. He was not sure before now. He was not going to be able to focus more and more on seconds for now.
He had not yet seemed to have prepared. Sly was many things, but he was not caught off guard. This was something he would have to follow up on sooner or later or later. It just screamed with the idea that either they would break, or something else would for now and frankly.
Well, that damn well would not have been done for now… Something that could have been done to have fixed this.
"Something is wrong, there's never this much quiet around here." Sly heard as he sighed and looked around as he did so.
There was still something to have been done, but he carried it out for now. There was just something more here than there should have been.
"What is going to have happened next? What will come when this is all over? How well will this end?" Sly heard as he sighed and leaned on the nearest wall, too prepared for what may or may not come next. It had been something so powerful that it had crushed every little damn thing in the world as if they were toothpicks.
The truth he hated so much existed. He had a family yet they did not trust him for the same reason he had wanted them to. They did not trust him, something he could understand for the time being.
He was a thief, a scoundrel, someone who had been far too much for anyone to have handled, far too much. He felt almost like he was drowning in them. They had too much on the line for him to have backed down when it came down to it.
He had so many questions, something he would not be able to have relaxed properly, it was simply part of life, simply where it should have been.
It was clear more than anything these problems were not just something that they could power through. No, they had to be willing to have done something about it, something tragic and morbid like this had infected them and it was clear he had to find a way to get into their head.
It was a good try, but it was not clear-coated enough for it to have mattered much, it had to have ended, it would end sooner or later at the time being and not in the best way but something purely beyond the scope of it. This was something he could not deal with and would continue to be at odds with repeatedly until time ended and he could no longer relax.
Still? Such problems were not at all beyond him nor was he incapable of dealing with them properly. All were focused on something that he would need to deal with properly at the end of the day.
It was an odd little thing and it seemed to be growing odder and odder at the time. They needed to keep growing faster and faster
He did not know what to deal with next nor did he understand it all, he had a lot more to deal with at the juncture's end. He was utterly divided at the end of the day and found himself utterly curious, all too unsure, all too hopeful at the time being.
It was just too much to hope for now and he seemed to look downward and was utterly consumed at the time being. Still? It needed to be decided more and more while he looked upwards and into the sky once more and he felt tired.
All of it felt more and more and more unsure and uncertain of what to do and what would come next, it was just more to deal with now, something that could and would continue to be something that could and would be made to order now.
All of it made it more and more powerful now and it was just more and more and more to have to argue about, to do, and see with now as of now. So much more to do for now and a lot more fun
There was just too much to try and deal with and Sly knew more and more would he relax, all the same, it was something that he did not once relax upon hearing its end as of now.
What he did do next? It would not be enough for him to figure it all out now, something he could not at all understand as of now, he did not at all know what to deal with but he did know he had to find Ray again sooner or later, even if it killed him.
There was a lot more on his mind as he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and looked down at the ground.
All the pain became harder to cope with, it was clear more and more that he had lost something, and right now?
All he was doing was forcing the pain back into them, ready to keep the violence going for now, he wanted something more than what he had, and for fear of losing it? He would keep going, fighting until the bitter end, he had seen that type of dedication, honor, and effort in trying to force an issue that was not easy to deal with.
Every small measure of mercy? He had to dance with them, twisting and flying to it, he had cut deep and true for now.
What he did was bother people and what he would do was not nice, not even for a few steps of the path, they had to be superior to it, again and again.
They would need to for now and do deeper than he had been dealt with before as he hummed, ready to fight for the best of the time being and ready to see it all end for now. All of it had to die out sooner or later and it was just a matter of how soon.
He had a LOT more to try and figure out what to try and deal with before he sighed to himself as he looked once more, such issues only seemed to grow more and more amused for now… There were a lot of things that could be dealt with for now, something that he sighed to himself.
Whatever he dealt with for now? There was just too much to try and deal with for now. Such things confounded him to a degree that he left all that planning to Bentley. He was a warrior and a thief and a rouge, the heavy lifting was not something he dealt with any time soon… It did not end anytime soon either way, however. He would not be able to relax
Sly knew more and more that what was coming. Utterly able to do more and more at the end of the day, something that cut like a blade? It was going to hurt and hurt every single little measure of mercy that would consume it all as he hummed once more, something he could only dream of at the end of the day.
This all hurt more and more, something that cut deeper and deeper into the skin, it felt so horrible, so naturally unable to be dealt with that they could not stand it at all, not at all knowing what needed to be done and dusted, utterly unable to be understood for the time being…
He could and would need to relax, knowing what would come next, knowing the idea behind it was so damn dull that it stifled imagination at the end of the day. it meant enough that it would be cutting into his brain with each little second at the end of the day… Knowing what the consequences are.
The idea of it would not be helped, nor would be failing… Nor any amount of blind insanity at the very idea of it for now and for good.
There was just no need to deal with it for now, he simply did not know what the next move would be and did not wish to do more than relax for now at the end of the day and end of the pain.
It came crashing down now or later but it would come crashing down to the ground but it would not be dealt with at all when it was all for now.
(With Ray)
Ray looked over his shoulder, too tired, too exhausted, unwilling to deal with it for now.
There was a lot more to try and figure out as he paused to keep thinking for now. He did not know what he seemed to keep growing for now, pausing for the moment as he rested his cane across his face.
It felt a lot like he was trying to dance upon the fire, not knowing that it would not have ended within the fires for now… He had wished.
Anything about it bothered him, anything he did next would annoy him so he decided to simply vanish into the city, knowing that he could deal with it for now as he clicked his fingers.
He had not been able to try and deal with it for now.
Author notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will be showing more of both Ray and Sly talking and showing more of both their goals and how Ray found the town. Until the 900–6500-word chapter, Lighting Wolf out!