Two Underrated Interactions Between Murray And Sly, First From 2:

Thieves In Time Redux Meme #5

Our four heroes after Episode 5. All Rolled Up.

The worst part? The truth comes out right after our heroine starts feeling like she's part of a family again.

Writing the end to this episode is going to be so painful... because we get to watch all that trust Penelope built up come crashing down.

Don't worry... She will redeem herself.

hi! I have a question, how do I write the movements of a ballerina? I'm writing a novel and now I'm at the part where my protagonist is dancing ballet for an audience in the theater. Could you help me with how to write her movements? I'm in doubt about how to write this

Some Ballet Vocabulary

Adagio: “Slow tempo.” In ballet, a tempo in which the dancer moves slowly and gracefully.

Allegro: “Brisk tempo.” In ballet, a tempo in which the dancer moves briskly and excitedly.

Allongé: “Elongated.” An adjective used to describe poses that are stretched and elongated, like an arabesque.

Arabesque: A pose in which the dancer stands on one leg—either straight or demi-plié, and either flat-footed or en pointe—while extending the other leg straight behind at a right angle. The shoulders are square with the arms held to create a long line from fingertips to toes.

Arriére: "Backwards." A move that indicates backwards movement or motion.

Ballón: “To bounce.” A light jump. Used to indicate the delicacy of the movement or jump.

Chaseé: To slide.

Elevé: A rise upward onto the toes.

En l’air: "In the air." Indicates a movement or leg position that is held in the air.

Fondu: To melt (a melting action).

Frappé: To strike (like lighting a match on the floor).

Glissade: To glide.

Jeté: To throw.

Pas de deux: A “dance for two,” or duet, in classical ballet.

Petit saut: A small jump.

Pirouette: A complete turn of the body on one foot, either turning inward or outward, with the body centered over the supporting leg, the arms propelling the turn but remaining stationary during the turn, and the eyes “spotting” a fixed point while the head quickly turns.

Promenade: A slow pivot of the body while standing on one leg.

Rèvèrence: “Bow”. Traditional port-de-bras and port-de-corps showing respect and gratitude to the ballet master or audience.

Tournant: “Turn.” A term paired with a movement to indicate a body turn.

Variation: A solo in classical ballet.

Although ballet actually began in Italy, it was formalized in France in the 17th century. Ballet terminology has remained largely in the French language. Ballet dancers across the world learn and can communicate with this universal ballet vocabulary.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 ⚜ More: Word Lists ⚜ Dance

Hope this helps with your writing! If I wasn't able to include the right words you need, you can go through the sources. Still, remember your readers when describing the scene — perhaps some of them might not be familiar with these terminologies.

Thieves In Time Redux: Why Toad Town?

Check this post out for context.

You may be wondering why there's so much music from Paper Mario: The Origami King associated with this project. This was actually a decision I made quite recently.

For now, I'm only talking about Origami King's Toad Town.

I started work on Thieves In Time Redux long before Origami King ever existed. It was just a massive stroke of luck to see OK's Toad Town of all pieces work so well together with the progression of my little story. Or more specifically, a certain mouse girl's evolution into the true hero I know she can become.

Take Toad Town Ghost Town, for instance. It's assigned to Episode 1, the beginning of our heroes' time traveling adventure. Not only is it perfect for Feudal Japan, it's also perfect for the beginning of Penelope's character arc.

Might as well talk about each step in the music's progression. Toad Town - Red Streamer Removal is assigned to Episode 2. Perfect for a wild west town, is it not? Here, Penelope is beginning to understand the consequences of her actions, mainly through what happened to Sly and Carmelita.

My favorite, though, is Toad Town - Blue Streamer Removal. Assigned to Episode 3, that's when Penelope undergoes her change of heart. It happens after she gets placed on bed rest and needs the boys to take care of her.

Then there's the more heroic shift in tone that comes with Toad Town - Yellow Streamer Removal. In which our heroine successfully strikes down her own creations without being discovered as their creator.

Episode 5 gives us Toad Town - Purple Streamer Removal. Penelope's nearing the end of her character arc, and the boys are proud of her. Too bad Le Paradox outs her as his mole at the end of the episode.

Toad Town - Green Streamer Removal gives us the end of her character arc with Episode 6. After her journey across time, Penelope has changed for the better, she's been found out, and she's willing to take responsibility for what she's done.

How in the heck did freaking Toad Town manage to retell my entire fanfic so perfectly? Even I have no clue... But I'm so glad it turned out that way.

Long story short, I love how the music progresses to its final form.

Writing Dialogue: Ways of Saying No

When your characters are saying no without saying "no"

INARTICULATE

Ah

Oh

APOLOGETIC/UNCOMFORTABLE

Alas ⚜ Can’t help ⚜ Do me a favour ⚜ Give over

I’m afraid… ⚜ Sorry ⚜ Unfortunately

EVASIVE

Any other time… ⚜ Ask Arthur ⚜ ‘Bye ⚜ Must run

Not right now ⚜ Talk to me later ⚜ The thing is… ⚜ What a pity

DEFINITE (with negative word)

No can do ⚜ No chance ⚜ No go ⚜ No way (José)

Never (in a thousand years) ⚜ Not in a million years

Not on your nelly ⚜ I should say not

DEFINITE (no negative word)

Are you serious? ⚜ Drop dead ⚜ Fat chance

Get lost / knotted / stuffed… ⚜ God forbid ⚜ Hard cheese

I’d rather die ⚜ Impossible ⚜ Over my dead body

Push off ⚜ See you in hell first ⚜ Tough titty

Unthinkable ⚜ You must be joking ⚜ You’ve had it

EXCUSES

If it were up to me ⚜ I’m right out ⚜ It’s more than my job’s worth

It’s not in my hands ⚜ Love to, but…

EUPHEMISMS/CLICHÉS

Chance would be a fine thing ⚜ Closed for business

Correspondence closed ⚜ If wish were father to the deed

Je regrette, mais… ⚜ Not my department ⚜ Not my remit

The editor regrets… ⚜ The umpire’s decision is final

Would that it were possible

Parents begin to teach their children to read between the lines in this way at an early age. Here are some of the negative responses used by parents to a request by their 4-year-old for another biscuit.

You’ve just had one ⚜ It’ll be tea time soon

Ask Daddy ⚜ I haven’t heard the magic word yet

Source ⚜ Word Lists ⚜ Notes & References

Penelope is still Bentley’s nerdy and cutie gf, thrives in time NEVER HAPPENED

Penelope Fan Service. Wink wink nudge. hehe

Thieves In Time Redux Mission Recaps #2

Here is everything Penelope does in each mission... This includes who is assigned to each mission. You'll notice some of them were reassigned from canon.

Check out what happens in each mission here.

Bold: New mission

Italics: Reassigned

Paris Tutorial:

Sly's Segment (Sly): Nothing.

Bentley's Segment (Bentley): Follows Bentley through the sewers.

Penelope's Segment (Penelope): Tries to find Bentley after getting separated from him. Saves him from a guard's wrath.

Murray's Segment (Murray): Nothing.

Turning Japanese:

Photo Op (Sly): Nothing.

Breakout (Sly): Nothing.

Sushi House Startup (Sly): Nothing.

Something's Fishy (Bentley): Helps Bentley and Murray advance further in the fish caves. Also snoops around for information, but only hears ill words about El Jefe.

Pretty In Pinker (Murray): Nothing.

Tiger Tail (Penelope): Convinces Bentley to follow El Jefe instead of her. Goes snooping around the geisha house for information, but only hears general grievances against El Jefe's boss.

Spiked Sushi (Rioichi): Nothing.

Altitude Sickness (Sly): Joins the group for the mission. Tries to go rogue in pursuit of the blimp. Runs into Sly and El Jefe's duel, then decides to help Sly via aerial support. Also gets scolded for running off, mostly by Bentley.

Go West, Young Raccoon:

Under Arrest (Sly): Nothing, though she does convince Sly to take out some of Toothpick's men.

Jailhouse Blues (Bentley): Nothing, though she does have a lengthy chat with Bentley about her running off last episode.

Cooper For Hire (Bentley): Helps Murray protect Bentley from a bed of scorpions.

Saloon Bug (Sly): Snoops around Toothpick's office, then opts to move further ahead for more information. She finds very little apart from Toothpick's men complaining about their boss.

Blind Date (Tennessee): Nothing, though she does gain permission to stay behind while the boys try to fetch Carmelita.

Jail Break (Penelope): Joins Tennessee and Carmelita to free the boys from jail. Focuses on freeing Bentley.

Grand Key Larceny (Murray): Wins at a mechanical bull riding competition in disguise.

OP: Gold Digger (Sly): Placed on van retrieval duty with Murray. Also provides aerial support during Toothpick's boss fight.

Clan Of The Cave Raccoon:

Stone Age Reconnaissance (Sly): Nothing.

Unexpected Ties (Sly): Nothing.

Getting Stronger (Bob): Demonstrates events for Bob. Falls ill after the mission is cleared. Placed on bed rest for several missions.

Going Up (Murray): Nothing. Bed rest.

Starving Starving Hippo (Murray): Nothing. Bed rest.

Ice Ice Bentley (Bentley): Nothing, though she does gather enough strength to check up on Bentley. (No, she does not go in person.) Bed rest.

Duty Calls (Sly): Nothing. Released from bed rest after this mission. Has seen the error of her ways by the beginning of the next mission.

OP: Jurassic Thievery (Penelope): Placed with Murray and Carmelita. Provides aerial support for Bob. Gets roped into The Grizz's boss fight with Murray. Helps Murray with the boss fight, even dealing the final blow.

Of Frogs And Mechs:

Shopping Spree (Sly): Nothing.

Juggling Act (Sly): Nothing.

Cane Swipe (Penelope): Helps Sly distract the Black Knight's guards so he can steal back Sir Galleth's cane via aerial support.

Eye In The Sky (Sir Galleth): Nothing.

Mechanical Menace (Sir Galleth): Nothing, though she does offer Sly advice on salvaging his broken relationship with Carmelita.

Short Supply (Murray): Helps Murray out in the tavern.

Untitled SSH (needs new name) (Penelope): Follows the Black Knight around instead of Sly. Bentley joins her in the blacksmith's. Sir Raleigh is exposed as the villain of this episode, alongside his creation Robo-Penelope.

Hard Target (Sly): Gets kidnapped after mission is completed.

Princess Out Of Distress (Bentley): Escapes from said kidnapping situation. Runs into impostor and fights her. Bentley helps her defeat said impostor. Also includes a double love confession.

OP: Frog Trap (Sly): Impersonates impostor in order to severely weaken Raleigh and free Sly from the villain's clutches. Declares loyalty to Team Sly. Helps everyone finish the villain off.

40 Thieves:

Lost And Found (Sly): Nothing, though she is stated to have helped Bentley perfect some new technology for Sly.

Open Sesame (Sly): Nothing.

Rug Rats (Salim): Sends her car into the tower to help Salim free one of his allies.

Up In Smoke (Bentley): Helps Bentley during his portion of the mission.

Copy Cats (Murray): Joins Sly and Murray in person, then gets trapped in with Murray. Manages to get Murray out of the caves safely, but not before helping Sly find another of Salim's allies.

Heavy Metal Meltdown (Rename?) (Salim): Submits an EDM track for use in the mission, which turns out more effective than in canon.

Untitled New Mission (Penelope): ?????????

All Rolled Up (Sly): Finds an alternative to Carmelita having to belly dance, though the cop does still have to stay behind. Joins the boys for the hangar raid, pulling more than her fair share of weight. Gets outed as Le Paradox's ally, then refuses to rejoin him. Helps defeat Miss Decibel.

Paris Epilogue:

Deja Vu All Over Again (Penelope): Leads the blimp raid. Starts the final boss fight. Refuses to rejoin Le Paradox again. Also ends said boss fight and wins, even saving Sly one final time in the process.

Thieves In Time Redux Meme #19

I did another thing.

That one meme, but with a wholesome twist.

Basically it's Penelope's character arc, but super abridged.

Fun afternoon sketch of Penelope from Sly Cooper for @Lionalliance0!

Thieves In Time Redux Meme #16

Spoiler alert: Penelope is not straight up evil in this fanfiction. I don't want to reveal her motive for "siding" with him until I finish Episode 0 of the story... That would be Chapters 1-6. In case you forgot, Episode 0 covers the Paris museum heist.