A Heroine's Heist: Part One

     The thief jumped into the air onto the roof of a stall selling pottery, dodging a guard's sword. A Sakhmet afternoon was usually peacefully busy…unless Stan was in town. Clutching a small potato sack of ummagines in his hand, the Kyrii thief sped off towards a more crowded section of the market, where he could lose the guards more easily. The Elephante that tried to strike Stan gave another attempt, but failed again. Mumbling in anger, he raced after his prime-time targeted thief. Stan was fast, but the Elephantes were still able to follow him.

     Once again, the guard made an attempt to strike the Kyrii, but missed. Stan gave a triumphant laugh and jumped onto a pile of crates. Nearby pedestrians were so anxious that they moved out of the way. Stan was just about to make his final escape when…

     "Hi, Stan!" a young voice piped up.

     Standing behind the thief was Stan's younger cousin, Cassie. She was a small red Kyrii that wore a deep purple cloth wrapped around her waist like a skirt and a maroon one wrapped around her upper body to look like a tank top. Cassie rarely ever visited this part of Sakhmet to see Stan, but when she did, Stan was not amused.

     The Kyrii thief was so startled he almost fell backwards. His potato sack, however, tumbled down the crates and hit the ground. One of the guards picked up the sack and grinned evilly at the cousins. Stan shot a very angry look at Cassie, then looked back at the Elephante holding the potato sack. Stan turned and jumped off the other side of the crates.

     Cassie turned to follow, but then stopped and looked at the Elephante guards. Maybe, she thought, just maybe.

     The young thief turned to follow Stan, but hid behind the crates instead, out of the view of the guards.

     "C'mon, fellas," the Elephante with the sack said as they turned and walked away. The Marketplace began to fill up again.

     At that instant, Cassie jumped so far it surprised even her, and landed on the Elephante holding the sack's head. The frightened guard lost his grip on the potato sack. The young thief snatched the sack, tucked it in between her shirt, then sprinted back in the direction Stan left. Interestingly enough, Stan (although annoyed) was wondering why Cassie hadn't followed him, and crept back to where he lost the sack to his foolish cousin. Just as the male Kyrii peered over the crates, Cassie collided in to him. They had both fallen onto the ground.

     "What are you doing here?" the cousins both asked in unison as they sat up. One of the Elephantes trumpeted to reveal another robbery. "Come on!" Stan shouted as he and Cassie started to run.

     After a short while of running the two of them stopped. "I think we've lost them," Stan panted, "follow me."

     Stan pushed aside a heavy crate. Once pushed away, a hole was revealed. The male Kyrii jumped down. Hesitating, Cassie followed. The cavern had a flat floor, then round walls that stretched up to the ceiling, like a Cybunny burrow. Pushed off to the side were some ummagine cores plus some other fruit seeds and a medium flat rock. Torches were the only things spreading light through the hideout. When Cassie hit the ground Stan bellowed, "What were you thinking? You could have gotten us killed! Additionally, you lost my loot!"

     Stan turned so his back faced his cousin. Because Cassie was poor and had no money, she was also a thief, but to Stan, she was always the underdog.

     Bashfully, Cassie said, "I thought it would be a nice surprise if I decided to come and visit, so that we could…"

     Stan cut her off. "It was a stupid time to come! Why do you do this, Cassie? Must you constantly depend on me to survive?"

     "Stan, I'm not a little kid anymore! I can survive on my own!"

     "You mean how you lost my steal?"

     "You were the one who lost it, Stan! And anyway, it's right here!" Cassie pulled the potato sack from her makeshift shirt.

     Slowly, Stan turned around. Unbelievably, he eyed the sack dangling from his cousin's paws. "But…they…you…how?" he stammered.

     Cassie grinned smugly. "Just as I thought. Don't count your Peadackles before they hatch, my friend."

     Stan angrily grabbed the sack from Cassie and sat down on the floor, followed by the younger thief. He emptied the contents of the sack onto the floor and tossed the sack into the corner. There were seven ummagines. Stan took his four, walked across to the other side of the room and sat down. Cassie glared at her older cousin but ate her food anyway.

     Later that evening, when things between the cousins had settled down, the two were lying on the floor beside each other, staring at the ceiling where the crate covered their hideout. Only one torch was lit. Cassie asked, "Stan, why do you always steal ummagines?"

     Without moving, Stan responded, "Well, because water is so scarce in the Lost Desert, many merchants and shoppers keep their water to themselves, making it twice as hard to find. Luckily, ummagines are so full of water it keeps most pets going for a while. Other fruits like bagguses make you thirsty, and I can't steal that often. Also because ummagines are very nutritious."

      Cassie thought. "Isn't stealing bad?" she asked, sounding amazed.

     Now it was Stan's turn for thinking. He responded, "All stealing is bad, but if it's to help keep you alive, like us, it's not so bad. But if it's just to torture the innocent, like the Pant Devil, then it's just plain cruel."

     "Does a shopkeeper count as the innocent?"

     Stan chuckled. "Only if you're a very sorry person."

     Cassie giggled, and soon the two found themselves laughing together. Once the laughter had died down, the young Kyrii asked, "Stan, do you like me?"

     "Must you ask so many questions?" her cousin inquired.

     Cassie hesitated. "Well…because I like you," she said slightly quieter.

     Stan smiled. "I like you, too." He reached out and ruffled the top of Cassie's head. Cassie returned the smile. Out of nowhere, the last torch blew out. Nights in the lost desert were not much cooler than days.

     "Good night, Stan," Cassie said, yawning.

     "Good night," the older Kyrii replied.

     In just a few minutes, Cassie had fallen asleep. Stan still lay awake, though, listening to his cousin's calm breathing. He sighed. Although the two were quite quarrelsome, Stan always cared about their relationship. Yes, he still thought he was the better thief, but he always worried when Cassie was away, and tried to defend her when she was here.

     Always.

~~~

     The next morning seemed to come fast. Stan had positioned the flat rock so that it was directly under the hole. When he stood on the rock he was tall enough to push the crate away. Once he was out of the hideout, he helped Cassie up out of the hideout as well. Then Stan pushed the crate back over the hole.

     "What's in the crate?" Cassie asked. She never had found out before.

     "Disguises," the older thief answered.

     "Will we ever get to try some on?"

     Stan opened the crate and pulled out a green hooded cloak. Excitedly, Cassie rushed over to look in the crate. Stan had put on the green cloak and was now surveying a red sash. About 5 minutes later, Stan closed the crate, dressed in a green hooded cloak, a matching tank top, and the red sash tied around his waist. Cassie's getup consisted of a long brown dress and a pink bonnet. Stan pulled the hood over his head. He pulled his ears through the ear holes.

     "Come on, Cassie," Stan said, imitating a voice lower than his own.

     "I'm right with you!" Cassie piped in a higher voice.

     The two walked along, looking innocent as possible, inspecting the wares merchants had to sell. Finally, they got to the stall selling ummagines and other fruits.

     The Korbat shopkeeper suspiciously eyed the Kyrii but let them browse. Time to make the move.

     Cassie (who was barely taller than the counter) asked, "Mr. Shopkeeper, how long have you sold your goods?" She kept her high voice as she spoke.

     While the shopkeeper explained to Cassie about his many years, Stan sneakily slipped two ummagines under his vest. When the Korbat finished his little history lesson, Stan gave Cassie the signal, which was a nod of his head.

     "Bye, Mr. Shopkeeper!" Cassie called as the cousins left.

     The Korbat waved and began counting his ummagines. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven eight, nine-he was missing two!

     "Stop! Thief!" he yelled, and Stan and Cassie made a break for it. This had caught many Elephante guards' attention. Cassie screamed as a guard sliced his sword through her dress. The Elephantes formed a tight circle around the thieves.

     "You are under arrest!" one of the guards.

     "Stan! I'll take the ummagines. You will escape. Do you hear me?" Cassie shouted at her cousin.

     Without a word Stan handed the younger Kyrii the stolen fruit. Cassie tucked them in her shirt once more, then with great power jumped onto one of the Elephante's heads. The bonnet and dress came flying off and landed in front of Stan. Cassie jumped off the guard's head onto the other side of the circle and ran off. "After her!" a guard cried. Half the guards went after Cassie, while the others stayed with the older thief. "You are under arrest too for shoplifting!" a guard declared. Stan grabbed the bonnet and ran.

     Hours later, Stan lay in the underground hideout where the crate covered it. Still clutching the pink bonnet, Stan stared hopelessly into the ceiling.

     "Oh, please be all right," he muttered, "please be all right."

To be continued...