Sly Cooper 5: Promises Made By Thieves

Chapter 82: Bentley

My mind, body and soul all freeze as I stare into the glinting eyes of Penelope, staring in defiance at this creature that might be her dad. And my smile cannot be removed by a single thing in existence.

Something truly magical is here with us. It's something that makes me put down my guards, and hold Penelope's hand that's holding my cheek.

"He...he is still furious at you!" Tonghia stutters. "You've bashed his heart to pieces. You stole his time machine parts. You-"

"I don't know how you could possibly know all that," I say with a smile, against high odds, "but I am not still furious at her." I look back over at Penelope, who is looking back, deep into my eyes, our glasses in between them but not getting in the way in the slightest. "In fact, she has proven how much she does care about me, and my family. And...I forgive her." Penelope takes her posture off her father. Something is making his voice drown out.

We stare at each other lovingly. It's like no time has passed at all since she saved me by fighting LeFwee. And I think of how long it's been since we...

Disregarding our audience of a speechless and defiant Tonghia, I tell Penelope words solely from my gaze. There's a strange warm feeling not just in my gut but in the room, and I ignore it as Penelope and I look into each other's eyes deeply, and kiss.

Some might look at this story and think I'm a fool, for how she could have with our kiss snatched my weapon and used it against me when my guard was down. But love truly was in the air. It made me susceptible and I know it made her the same way. As we kissed it was like we read each other's minds of how happy we were that we fixed things. And maybe it was exactly like that. I knew then and there how thoroughly grateful Penelope was that I was giving her a second chance, and even a hint of her giving the same to me.

Our kiss gave us another silent conversation, how we were going to do our very best to never let anything tear us apart again, and we would fight to have a proper future together.

When we released, we looked over to her dad, which I'd actually forgotten for a moment was there. How does that happen?

Now he is on the ground, panting like he'd just run a marathon. And...he is shrinking, a bit by the second.

"You...won't win this..." he gasps, as he's all of a sudden enveloped by a strange green light. It's the same color as his glow...and it begins to turn purple once he's no longer visible within it.

Something that makes us jump is from the light emerges Sly, McSweeney and Carmelita. They all fall either on their faces or their butts, and they look like they've each seen a ghost.

"Where have you guys been?" asks Penelope.

"Don't ask..." groans Sly.

"That would be smart," says Carmelita.

"Say, where's your father?" asks McSweeney to Penelope.

"Long story," I say.

"Guys!" That was Murray's voice. "You're all connected again! I don't know what happened."

Penelope and I think we do.

"Well, get us out of here now!" orders Carmelita. "Before anything more happens."

"Got it!"

I awaken after a brief process where our vision is blinded and our minds slowly readjust to the living like after a deep sleep. I've had a few of these after some all nighters from my tech. I realize my legs are paralyzed again, but my jolt of sadness around that is not even that painful. I look over to Penelope and we are once again looking into each other's eyes. She slowly offers me her hand. I take it and lightly squeeze.

"Thank goodness you all are okay," says Jing King. "You gave us all such a fright!"

"It most certainly was," says Carmelita. "I hope to never have to do something like that again."

"What happened anyway?" asks Murray. "What did you see? Do you have any idea why-" Murray freezes. He looks behind him to see light squirming. And also some quiet groaning that could be humming.

The Guru is awake. And even from here, I can tell he's lightly smiling.