A ripple formed in the clear blue lake at the edge of the village.  A black nose poke out of the water and then a baby blue head.  Black ears folded back so as to not get water in them while he swam.  Thomas held a fish in his mouth and he swam to the shore where he had a bucket.  He climbed out of the water and placed the fish into the bucket.  That makes five fish.  Should be enough for Kya.  He shook the water from his fur, picked up the bucket and started to head home. He quickly entered the forest of evergreen trees where only a small trail marked the path.  The tree cover was such that it was nearly impossible to see the black mountains.  He could smell the scent of pine as the wind blew past him. 

“Psst!”  Thomas startled and he almost lost the fish he had spent hours catching.  He swung around and spotted a Belemoid he thought he would never see again. 

He placed the bucket down “ What are you doing here?!” Thomas hissed back.

Belleron, a black and white banded Belemoid, leaned against the tree next to her.  “I can go 

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where I please. She stopped leaning against the tree and started to slowly circle Thomas.   “It’s been awhile. And what a handsome guy you have turned into. “  

Thomas wasn’t sure what to say to that.  “What do you want?”  Thomas he finally said. 

“Not one for small talk.  Well I don’t have time for it anyway. “ Belleron waved a clawed paw.

“I hope you have been practicing since the last time I saw you. Because I have a job for you.” 

Despite himself, Thomas grew excited.  But he was no longer a little welp.  “And why do you need my help?  Can’t you do it yourself?  He was genuinely curious as to why a master thief would need his help. 

“Well you see, I need a certain key pad in the research center that is near here.  And I may have gotten a little carried away on one of my heists and forgot about a certain camera.  They know me by sight.  And they have upped the security more so at night.  But you-” Here Belleron waved her claw at Thomas.  “-they know you already and would not suspect anything. “  Thomas frowned.  He wasn’t so sure of that but-

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Belleron miss took the frown.   “And it will be fun!” She added.

Thomas had no doubt that it would be fun.  Stealing something without getting caught was always a fun challenge. But if she were desperate enough maybe-

“Ok I will do it.” He held up a claw.  “But I want in the thief’s guild.” he bargained. 

Thomas watched as Belleron looked taken aback.  “What makes you think I can get you in the guild?  

“I know you're good.  Very good.  I also know that if you want that key pad, then you will have to get me in the thief’s guild.  But if you can’t-”  Thomas shrugged and started to pick up the fish pail again. 

“No, no - I might be able to do it.  But I can’t guarantee it.  But I can put in a word for you.  That’s all I can do. “ Belleron said hastily.

Thomas pretended to think about it.  “Alright.  But you are going to have to tell me what this key pad looks like.  There’s like a million of them in that research building.”

“It looks just like all the other keypads. It’s about this big.”  Belleron demonstrated using her claws in such a way as to show the pad was indeed the same size of the ones he had seen.

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“But it’s in a room marked with a giant E on it.  Just take all the keypads from there and bring them to me here by the lake. I will take it from there. “ 

Thomas had never stolen more than one or two items before.  Nothing that would be easy to miss.  What Belleron was suggesting was dangerous.  He could get caught!  But that is what made it so fun.  

“Alright I’ll do it.” Thomas agreed.  It would be the biggest job he ever took on but the reward would be so worth it.  To be in the Thief guild was something he had dreamed about since he was a little welp. 

A smile graced Belleron's face and her more easy going manner returned. “I will keep your lake warm and the fish entertained till you get back, handsome. “  She winked and walked toward the lake.  She faded from view as the dark forest slowly seemed to swallow her up.  He waited till he was sure she was gone then picked up the fish and headed back to the village.  A plan slowly taking form in his head. 

The next day was overcast and the promise of rain was in the air.  Thomas skipped along the 

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trail leading to the research center.  He loved the rain. And hopefully it would help him in his getaway. But for now he had to concentrate on getting the job done.  

Thomas knew he was close when he could see the light blue of the research center peeking over the treetops.  He passed the crystalized bone that stood like a monument in front of the center and then walked right in like he knew the place and had a right to be there. 

“Good morning!”  He greeted the receptionist as he walked by.

“Good morning!” the receptionist responded. He didn’t recognise this one.  Must be new.  Which meant that she did not know to stop him.  Perfect. 

Thomas went to the janitor's closet and pulled out the cart.  On it were rags and sponges and a box of garbage bags.  All the things janitors would need to clean rooms.  

He took his time and went from one room to the next cleaning them and emptying the garbage.  He was starting to think that this room with the big E on it did not exist but he kept going.  All the labs were on the first floor.  He would just have to keep going.  

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He turned a corner and found himself in a corridor that he had never seen before.  And at the end of it was a door marked with a big letter E.

This was it.  But first he needed to do the other two rooms.  So he hurriedly cleaned them.  

He wasn’t surprised that the door he actually wanted was locked.  But he took out his now worn picklocks and went to work on the door.  He had been practicing nearly everyday since he had gotten them and now he could pick a lock in no time.  

Thomas heard the tell tale of a click and presto the door was unlocked and he was opening it.  He drew the janitor’s cart in and shut the door. 

Inside it looked like every other lab he had been cleaning.  Beakers on the counter tops.  Machines that blinked and Machines that hummed and some did both. 

Thomas got the cleaning cloth and started to wipe down the counters and while he was doing that opened up the doors under the counters and found all the key pads and placed them into his pouch. He did this with all the drawers in the lab.  Then he tossed the garbage in the cart. 

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And then he left. Thomas made sure that the door was locked once again before proceeding to finish up the janitor’s job.  

Soon he was out the door and he could not believe he had pulled off the heist. The promised rain had come while he was inside and it was coming down in sheets.

He ran through the soggy grass, passed the crystallized bone and back into the cover of the evergreen trees.  

Thomas watched as Balleron sifted through the many keypads he brought.  They all looked the same to him.  But after a while Balleron held up one.  “This is it.  Thank you! Now I must be off. “

Balleron tucked the keypad in her pouch and took off before Thomas could say anything.  Thomas looked around at all the keypads strewn around the ground.  What was he going to do with all these?

(1384 words)