Chapter 7 – Reckless loss. 
Thief woke up the next morning to a nice aroma and stretched. He grabbed the bracelet and pulled his cloak on and walked down the hallway.
	“Oh, good morning dearie. Did you sleep well?” Grams was setting out some pancakes and bacon, along with some apple juice.
	“I did, thank you Grams. Um, could I give you a hug?”
	“Well of course, what’s the occasion?” Grams embraced Thief in a warm hug.
	“Just, well…it’s been 18 years since I last had a forehead kiss. It was nice. Just felt like returning the act in my own way.” Grams smiled as the two sat down to eat. Thief kept his table manners that he had as to not upset Grams or seem like a barbarian. After Thief helped clean the dishes the two headed to the watchtower. When they entered, Mend and Tenderheart were talking about the mission as Champ and Lotsa were waiting.
	“Hey, we’re here.”
	“Ah, Thief, good! You two took a while.”
	“Grams made breakfast, it’d be rude if I didn’t have a nice peaceful breakfast with her.” Mend chuckled a bit.
	“Yes, I had a wonderful breakfast with Tenderheart and Wonderheart. We just got here 15 minutes ago, Wonderheart was a bit of a rascal herself.” Grams chuckled hearing about Wonderheart. Thief walked over to Lotsa and Champ.
	“Alright, do you two have any way to well…To fatally damage the void creatures?”
	“I…I don’t think I could HARM them so brutally.” Lotsa didn’t seem to like the idea.
	“I mean…I have a shotput ball I could use, I have good aim. I never intended to use it for physical violence…” 
	“We’ve reviewed footage, Champ. These creatures aren’t anything but dark energy, even if it feels like murder, you’re just sending them back into the Void.” Goodluck turned in his seat while Swift Heart was quickly playing some solitaire in front of themselves. 
	“If you are sure, sports fan. Where would I aim?”
	“Aim at their head, Champ. Lotsa, I made this last night. I examined it and realized it contains my thieving ability. I’m not sure how long the cooldown is so after using it, use the glider and get out of the castle. Champ same to you, after getting the badge get out of there.” Thief gently pulled Mend aside. “As for me, Champ requested me to get Bright Heart’s badge.”
	“Thief, that’s too risky! Just get whichever you can and escape.”
	“Mend, you’re my friend. Please, understand how far I’m going for them. I promise, I’ll be careful.” Despite how Thief sounded, he was inside torn apart between doing what he said he’d do for Champ and taking Mend Heart’s advice. Mend hugged Thief before Thief, Lotsa, and Champ went down the elevator to the Cloud Car. Thief got in the passenger seat as Champ got in the driver’s seat. As Lotsa put her seatbelt on they went over the plan as Champ drove. They soon arrived at the castle and saw a drawbridge was down. 
	“Oh this isn’t obviously a trap.” Thief crossed his arms as Void Heart’s voice sounded.
	“If you little mice want to come steal from MY CASTLE, then I’ve decided to give you a way in. Your barrier may have protected you overnight, but I’ve raised my void creatures, and taken a belly badge for myself. You’ll eventually have to face me head on, and face the void creatures as they swarm you!” Thief smirked as he pulled out his knives. 
	“Than I’m coming straight for your room, Void Heart.” Thief winked at Champ and Lotsa showing it was a ploy, he figured if Void Heart had Bright Heart’s it would be problematic, but there were many badges he could have that he wanted the other two to get whichever they could and scram, so he could search without worry. The three rushed in as many void soldiers jumped to attack. Thief slashed quickly erasing them as Champ threw his shot put ball hitting three in a row as Lotsa rushed forward and suddenly sped up rushing through and knocking the creatures out of existence. 
	“When did I become Swift Heart in speed?”
	“That wasn’t even close to my speed, Lotsa!”
	“They’re right, the bracelet increases your speed by fifty times your max speed.”
	“I want to try it after this is all over, Thief! I could be a faster rabbit!”
	“Sports fans, focus! We need to find our targets.” Thief and Lotsa nodded as Tenderheart and Mend kept an eye on the map, eventually Champ saw Grumpy’s badge and nodded to the other two as he rushed in, the door slamming shut and the bars going up.
	“Me and you, void creature. Let’s see how you deal with a champion!” Champ rushed forward as the creature’s whole body filled with spikes. It lashed out as Champ slid under and threw his shot, the spikes covered the head as Champ paled. 
	“So um, a bit of an incident. The body is full of spikes.”
	“You think I didn’t have a contingency plan, Champ?” Champ blinked as Thief landed with his knives into some spikes and pushed. The creature was unable to move it’s spikes to cover it’s weak point. Thief kicked off as Lotsa threw the shot put from where it landed, It hit one of the open spots and rolled toward Champ. Champ smirked and rushed at it, grabbing it and sliding into position.
	“He aims, he throws…” The shot put slammed into the head of the void creature as the spikes shattered as it fell backwards. “and he scores!”
	“I figured the creature would get creative, so using my knives to kind of stab what could be considered nerves made it’s body unable to act correctly. Lotsa’s strength stunned it long enough. Teamwork right?” Champ smiled at Thief as he went and grabbed Grumpy’s orb and walked toward the window before Thief tackled Champ as Void Heart’s tail rushed over them and into the door. Void Heart roared and rushed into the room, breaking the wall in the process. Luckily Thief has used the grappling hook to attach themselves to the vent he and Lotsa had come through. 
	“Champ, Lotsa, go…I have my own mission to settle here.”
	“You can’t sports fan! He’s not someone we should fight.”
	“Champ’s right, Thief! Let’s just all rush, find a room for Champ to leave and work together.”
	“Lotsa, Champ, Void Heart unluckily did get the badge I didn’t want him having. Bright Heart’s.” Thief gripped his knives and jumped down to face Void Heart. Champ gulped and looked at Lotsa, they both nodded and used the vent to get to another room. The Void creature tried to prepare it’s body but Lotsa used the speed the bracelet provided and swiped Share’s badge as she fell out the window, activating her glider in time as Champ followed suit. 
	“That was easy…but it seems the cooldown takes six hours. At least Cheer can make more?”
	“That’s a good thought, Lotsa. But Thief is still…” The two glided back to the car as Thief and Void stared at one another. 
	“So, you got the badge I badly want, or well, promised to get. Hand it over, Void Heart, and we’ll be out of your hair for another three hours.” 
	“Tempting, but no. I want ALL the badges, to turn EVERYONE to monotone. The fear and sadness that stems from it will make the Void stronger, and once it breaks our lord will turn the whole world into a void state, and then we shall spread to planets and galaxies. Eventually everything will be Void.” Thief Heart rushed and dodged Void Heart’s claws and tail, using his knives to parry close hits. 
	“The world requires both good and bad! Positive and Negative! If you upset the balance than the world will turn to nothing! If that’s what you want, Void Heart, then I’ll have to steal your dark desires!” Thief Heart rushed and swiped at Void Heart’s body. As he did, he saw Bright Heart’s badge but also a small white orb. As he reached for the orb, the darkness pushed him back. Before Thief was ejected from the body, he grabbed Bright Heart’s badge. He’d have to remember the white orb and find a way to reach it. As he was ejected, he landed. However, as he turned to run, he felt something pierce his body. When he looked down, he saw Void Heart’s tail had pierced his belly badge. As the tail retracted, he felt his powers leave him and turned to see Void Heart holding his orb.
	“Make your choice, Cat. You can give me that badge you just stole and have your powers back. Or you can take that badge and risk your friends losing their badges by doing solo missions!” Thief gritted his teeth. He sighed and put a hand to his mic.
	“Champ, Lotsa, who’s did we get?”
	“Grumpy and Share, with Share’s we can make more of these bracelets! Thief, is everything ok.”
Thief smirked as he looked at Void Heart, his eyes having a mischievous glint.
	“Ok Void Heart, you can have my badge for now. All you’ve done is light a fire for a revolution! I will get mine back, even if it’s not by my hands.” Thief fell backwards, activating his glider as he glided back. As he landed Champ and Lotsa gasped. 
	“Sports fan, you…He took your badge?!”
	“Yeah, but—”
	“WHAT THE HELL THIEF HEART!” Mend’s voice rang out loudly, surprising everyone even those at Care-A-Lot. Mend had tears rolling down their cheeks, of both anger and sadness. “YOU PROMISED. YOU FUCKING SAID YOU’D BE CAREFUL AND YOU WEREN’T. DAMMIT THIEF…Damn you…You reckless idiot…” Mend collapsed to their knees as Good Luck got down to his knees and rubbed Mend’s back. Funshine frowned and walked over.
	“Thief…Our promise boop?” 
	“Sorry Funshine, Sorry Mend. Seems my reckless streak and luck came to an end. I reached for the sun, and had my wax wings burned.” Mend gritted their teeth and grabbed the mic.
	“You and I, Thief, are having a VERY serious talk when you get back. After the badges are returned, we are going to talk.” Mend left the Watchtower with a sour expression on his face. Good Luck and Swift Heart looked at each other and then at Funshine as all three rushed after Mend. Thief sighed and looked at Champ and Lotsa.
	“Let’s go you two. I screwed up, and broke two promises at once, while only fulfilling one.” Champ grabbed Thief’s arm. 
	“Do you have your Motorcycle chip?”
	“I do but—” Thief felt a punch and rubbed his cheek as he saw Champ glaring at him, but with tears running down his cheek.
	“I asked yes, but you weren’t supposed to risk your own badge! Lotsa, let’s go. Thief can drive himself back.” Champ put Grumpy’s orb down and picked up Bright Heart’s and put it next to Grumpy’s as Lotsa put Share’s down and the two drove off. Thief saw the draw bridge go up as the castle began to shuffle. He looked up at the sky and sighed as he put the chip down and activated him. Thief got on it and drove back to Care-A-Lot. Funshine, Mend, and Champ were all upset with him, with understandable reason. Void Heart watched as Thief drove off and smirked to himself.
	“Yes, let the negative emotions fester. I shall free my lord, seems you all aren’t as caring anymore.”