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It's been a while since that night, but there's still no sign of Sly. Or that cursed blimp. By the time we found the skunk, someone had gotten to him first and grabbed him before disappearing into the darkness. We're not sure what exactly happened, but someone obviously wants him, and possibly his time-traveling technology, for reasons unknown to us.
Both Paris and the Thievius Raccoonus were back to normal, but that hardly made us feel any better. At first, we just waited, assuming Sly would show up the way he always does. But as the days stretched into weeks...we had to face the fact that he was truly lost. We've stopped talking about it all the time, but I know it's all we're thinking about. Even if we show it in different ways.
"How is it?"
That voice came from a young pink-furred lop rabbit girl with a lavender tuft of fur on her head and brown eyes. She wore a beautiful light blue floral sundress and white sandals over her feet. She giggled while showing the raccoon her new look for the summer.
"They gave me all sorts of clothes to wear!" she cheered. "Isn't it cute?"
"You look great in that, kiddo," Sly complied. "But..."
His gloved hand was over a pamphlet focusing on a beach in a place called the Kalos region.
"Are you sure about this?" he asked her. "I was able to get some time to ourselves. Maybe we should find a better spot..."
"It is a great spot," the rabbit reassured him. "I woke up there near the aquarium, after all. I heard it's the best place!"
Sly couldn't help but soften up around her growing enthusiasm. The lop rabbit started out withdrawn and timid from Le Paradox's cruel treatment of her. It took everything that the International Police had to get her the mental help she needed, but she was making headway with becoming a happier person. Seeing her smile...it told him that being in this strange new world was all worth it.
"Since you put it like that, I'll take your word for it," he relented.
Murray seems like his usual cheerful self, but I could tell there's a new level of seriousness underneath it all. He's on the professional wrestling circuit now, really been pushing himself. I know he's doing it to keep his fighting skills sharp. Like all of us, he wants to be ready for action the minute we locate Sly.
Carmelita returned to Interpol where she threw herself into her work, busting criminals at a record pace. She's been so busy, I haven't seen her for a while now. My sources tell me she's conducting her own investigation into Sly's whereabouts. Out of everyone, I think she took Sly's disappearance the hardest, even if she never shows it.
At least not in public.
The beach in this region was packed with residents and tourists this time around. Sly had changed out of his thieving attire for the trip and was now wearing a light blue t-shirt and white shorts. His rabbit companion, in the meanwhile, had changed into a navy blue one-piece bathing suit a few minutes after arriving.
"There weren't that many people when I was found here," she noted.
"I'm guessing that you were taken in before the beach got packed," the raccoon predicted.
The rabbit sighed and made her way across the sand of the beach. She then stopped when she saw something on the sands near the waves of the ocean. She ran forward to pick it up before the salt water could wash it away.
"Annette?" Sly asked with confusion.
It turns out the rabbit, Annette, found a coral pink seashell near the ocean. She picked it up and turned to the person she began to consider more of a father than her own "Papan."
"Maman told me this," she stated.
She brought the shell toward one of her ears and raised it.
"When you do this..." the rabbit began. "She said you could hear the ocean."
As for myself, I continue to search. Even using all my technology, I haven't found a clue. The time machine is no help since we need to know where Sly was for that to work.
I get discouraged sometimes, but I'll never give up. Because I know Sly's out there! And I know that wherever he is, we will find him!
For Sly, watching over this miniature lop rabbit had its ups and downs. But it felt like they were starting to go somewhere ever since he bonded with her in Ambrette Aquarium.
Now, the sun was setting on the coastline of this region. Already, the Luvdisc were starting to swarm underwater, giving the ocean a pink tint to it. Sly couldn't help but smile at this. He had taken up thieving full time in this new world to get by when he was assigned to watch over this rabbit upon being found. Here they were now, truly becoming a father-daughter duo.
"I wonder why..."
The raccoon's attention turned from the sight ahead of him to his daughter-figure. Annette had suddenly become despondent.
"Why is it when I see a sunset, I suddenly want to go home?" she questioned.
Sly decided to give it a bit more time before they went back. He didn't entirely know where they were or how they were going to get back home. For now, he wanted to be by Annette's side and watch over her.
Le Paradox was a terrible father to his own kin. The raccoon would make sure she will be loved regardless of her ties.