Sly Cooper: Family of Thieves

Chapter 3: Sunset Snake Eyes

I started small with the red journal. Of course, I asked Sly for permission to use one of his cards. When I finished, I returned it to him and did some research on Mesa City. Sly always wanted to go to that thriving American boomtown, but since I was 14 at the time, they had to be extra careful.

"Ok, let's see what Muggshot's file has to say..." I muttered as I scanned the files."

After a while reading it, I found something I strangely related to. Mugshot was initially bullied by the other neighborhood pups and realized he wanted to become a gangster after watching The Dogfather. I couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" Sly asked while he peered at me.

I explained, that people fall in love with an image, not knowing the real thing.

"That was deep." Murray commented.

I asked what was my role in the mission, and it was no different: Accompany Sly on the heist.

"But Sly, isn't Sangue too young to be dealing with gangsters?"

I aimed a sarcastic look at Bentley.

" Are you seriously worried that a girl can't handle herself?"

He said nothing, but his jaw dropped a foot long.

"You sound like Carmelita, when you say those things, y'know." Sly commented.

When we arrived, the town was deserted, already not a good look. But that didn't matter, because we cracked safes, found bottles, beat up Mugshot's moronic minions, and I even helped Murray with the big race.

"Thank you, Sangue," Murray said, scooping me in his huge arms, for a hug.

"Careful there, big guy; you're gonna snap my bones."

"Oh, sorry."

Upon releasing me, I hugged Murray's face.

"You should probably go and check on Sly," He advised, "He needs you."

I saluted Murray with two fingers, and hovered to my next stop, with the pink hippo waving at me from below. Unfortunatley, I seemed to arrive right when Carmelita showed up. We made a run for it.

After all that chasing we managed to lose the inspector. We were both panting in relief after that.

"Are you ok?" I asked Sly.

The rebelious brown shade of brown in the raccoon's eyes, suddenly grew tender and filled with the affection only a father could give.

"Better than ever," he replied, "C'mon Mugshot must be close."

Eventually, we managed to enter Mugshot's penthouse. I couldn't help but cringe at the sight of him.

"Wow, he's ugly." I thought.

Mugshot by his turn spoke.

"My boys were yapping about some big mysterious dude running around cracking skulls, and; that is it, some scrawny rat with some winged hairball," He yapped, "Didn't ya tell'er this is no place for little girls?"

I wanted to show what this "winged hairball" could do, but Sly pushed me aside, in a protective stance.

"Better watch what you're sayin' Mugshot, 'cuz from what I saw from our last rumble in England, she packs more than a punch." Sly defended.

"You've nowhere to run, hand over the pages!" I hissed.

That was a queue for our second battle, we were soon surrounded by glass shards, it was familliar to me somehow. All Sly had to do was use his cane to whack the crystals, to make the light aim at Mugshot. I've studdied it before, but I didn't see the aftereffects; however, it was a matter of time before I saw the results for myself, and let's just say that bulldog was in for a shock. I had to close my eyes, while flinching in seeing Mugshot get zapped.

"My beautiful gun is distroyed," Mugshot whimpered, "good thing I got a spare upstairs."

"Oh, no you don't!" I exclaimed, chasing Mugshot, to the next floor.

We had to do the same proceedure in the next three floors. Sly let me take a shot, in the second floor, and our final strike together was the icing on the cake.

"Impossible! I've been beaten by a pipsqueak, and a child!" Mugshot whimpered.

Eventually, he told us the location of the next page, and who had it: Mz. Ruby, the crocadile priestess from Haiti. I flew on over with the pages from Tenesee Kid Cooper's half of the Thevius Racoonus, and I spent my time in Mesa City practicing this move. It gave us immense satisfaction to watch Mugshot's gang empire being put down to sleep, and of course, Carmelita Fox finishing the job.

Returning to our hideout back in Paris, we decided to unwind before our next mission. The cane glowed it's majestic countenance as if it was calling out to me. I slowly began to wonder what hid behind that object. At first, I tried to ignore that curiosity. Unfortunatley however, it only took a certain voodoo priestess to reawaken it.

"Hello, there lil' un..." the crocodile sneered, "you may approach, I don't bite..."