Thief's Beginning

Vicious Voodoo

Sly's POV

The next member of the Fiendish Five was the infamous voodoo priestess Mz. Ruby. Being born into a family of mystics, she taught herself to summon the dead. However other children found her scary and so the only friends she had were from the grave.

By having a career in crime it meant an adult Mz. Ruby could punish those who feared her as a child. Being a mystic this got her a place in the Fiendish Five, as it allowed them to break both the laws of nature and man. Despite her success she managed to slip into obscurity. Her last sighting was in the Haitian Jungle.

I never was one to believe in the mystics, voodoo and bringing back the dead, but after this trip I think I might become a firm believer.

Travelling to the jungle was interesting especially since it was so lifeless and dark. The only real bit of life was around Mz. Ruby's hideout.

As I made my way to Mz. Ruby's hideout Bentley contacted me over binocucom.

"Sorry Sly, but this is one mission you'll have to do without me." Bentley said.

"You don't believe in ghosts do you?" I asked.

"Sure I do my scanners have picked up verifiable paranormal activity. But that's not the problem; this swamp is oozing with disgusting mold and bacteria." Bentley replied.

"Suck it up Bentley; we've got work to do."

Using my new rail walk and slide it was easy to and fast moving around as the bark and vines were slippery and stretched across most of the area.

I got to the entrance of Mz. Ruby's lair, and I wasn't too pleased about these bad mojo force fields, I sensed I would be encountering more.

Entering Miss Ruby's lair I found it was very simple not much around but guards and things to jump on.

"My paranormal scanner is maxing out on that structure." Bentley said as I looked at the alligator shaped structure.

"A reading like that could only be coming off Mz. Ruby herself." I replied.

"In order to get to Mz. Ruby you're gonna have to find a way into that skull temple." Bentley said.

Sliding down a vine into Mz. Ruby's lair, I also ended up in the lair of a beast that Mz. Ruby must want to keep around.

I climbed over the gate protecting whatever was inside, and soon after sliding and climbing more vines and trees I past what looked like a doghouse made of bones and inside, the beast.

This thing looked like a dragon crossed with a snake but giant. It emerged and chased me down trying to eat me and man did it have bad breath.

Of course I escaped and continued collecting keys through the hideout. I was even on a boat lighting tiki torches.

I also had to travel through more swamp and battle more bugs for the keys avoiding fire and dirty swamp water, oh and ghosts.

After collecting three keys we were able to unlock the gate holding the beast, luckily he dint need much encouraging and as soon as the gate opened he was out and destroying things in his path leading me with an entrance to the rest of Ruby's hideout.

It was more difficult getting around though as Mz. Ruby's guards had their touches shining in all angles standing on a cauldron and my only way around was hiding in the shadows of masks circling the cauldron.

I managed to pick up a few more keys and it was time to go against Mz. Ruby.

Standing on the cauldron lid and using steam pressure it boosted me into Mz. Ruby's temple where I was confronted by the priestess.

"Mmm, I could feel that Cooper vibe coming. Most distastefully bad juju." She said.

"Yeah, well you give me the creeps too lady, cooking up army of ghosts isn't a very neighbourly past time." I replied.

"Sly I see your mouth moving but all I'm hearing is blah, blah, blah. Well if jaws need to flap, then let them flap. See you in the next world."

My first task was jumping from each tooth pillar without being crushed from the spikes above. Once I reached Mz. Ruby I got in a few lucky shots before she disappeared and reappeared further away.

"Come back here and fight." I demanded.

"Hmm, I'd rather play a game I like to try with all my guests if you pay attention you'll survive." She replied.

I then found myself copying her moves and avoiding shapes she was throwing at me. I got past the first round and hit her again before she moved again.

Onto round two, they were becoming more difficult patterns to follow but I made it causing more damage, till it was onto round 3 and what I can only hope being the final round.

This time I was on one of the bugs back with further to fall. I made to her platform and this time I defeated her and she gave up.

"You certainly got some rhythm raccoon but it won't help you none if you're fixing to go after the Panda King. You go poking around his stronghold in China you're likely to get poked back."

"Well if he's anything like the rest of ya, I think I'll manage." I nodded.

After getting back Mz. Ruby's pages it showed my pioneering ancestor Slytunkhamen Cooper and his invisibility technique. Something I could see being very useful when escaping guards.

I went back to the van where we were all pleased to leave this dirty and creepy place and head to China but not before spending some time in the sunshine.

It was a long trip and gave us time to talk before heading to our next mission an having time to relax a bit helped get us feeling ready to take on our next enemy.

Although what I wasn't ready for was Murray to remind me of repressed memories.

"Hey you know that voodoo lady's game kinda reminded me of when Lola used to force us to play those dance mat video games." Murray said and was swiftly elbowed by Bentley.

"Murray, ixnay on the ex-girlfriend-ay" Bentley whispered but I heard.

"No guys its fine, she was your friend too you can remember her and talk about her but I'd like to stay out of it right now okay? I don't want all that brought up right now, I have other things to think about." I said and went back to the van.

I could feel their sympathetic eyes on me and I knew they regretted bringing her up, I wasn't mad, just upset maybe? I don't know I mean of course we were a thing once, twice. But I don't know how I feel about Lola now.

She probably hates me, or she's forgotten about me and moved on with her life. I don't know why Murray brought her up now though and not before. I feel bad for them as Lola and the guys were close, especially her and Murray it was like they just empathised with each other.

I get that they miss her, I do to, or at least I think I do. She was my first love and you don't forget that but I'm not sure if she's my last, plus with Carmelita sort of taking up my interest I think I just moved on.

Okay so Carmelita may not have been as pretty as Lola but she's close enough, and okay it's not as fun since Lola and I could go on heists together and Carmelita tries to throw me in jail, but it's just different.

On the trip to China memories of Lola were floating round my head again and the times we spent together and we met at a young age, not as young as I was when I met the guys but we were about pre-teens or a bit younger.

It was nice back then but it's completely over now, I guess.