Patience has always had a big part in planning robberies. It's always been my least favorite part, but a necessary one. You had to find the right moment to rob a place, where the timing of things works in your favor. It could take months of waiting for that moment to happen.
I usually stay patient by having multiple robberies in progress at once. I keep my mind active, my hands in multiple candy dishes. Otherwise, I would have gone crazy a long time ago. I probably would have landed in jail multiple times too.

I had to apply the same principle while in the pet store. I had no desire to answer the girl's questions, which meant that I had to wait for the right timing for my own questions. I admit, it gave me time to really consider my questions. And gave the girl plenty of time to stew on hers.

She would pause by my tank constantly. Waiting for me to ask more questions. I let her stew.
Instead, I focused on, well, being a fish. More to the point. I was working on keeping the fish mind at bay. It took a lot of discipline. For one, I had to stop my mind from racing. I had to think on a slower level. It was annoying. Yet, with the exceptions of when I first 'woke up' in the morning, and when the kids tapping on the glass would startle me. I could keep my human mind active, but my fishy mind could handle the swimming, and other fishy things like nibbling on that yellow plant I seemed to like a lot.

She broke first. In our silent competition to ask the next question. But not in the way I expected her to.

She planted herself in front of my tank, nearly a week later right before the store opened. ~How well do you know your 'friends?`~ She asked, chewing on her bottom lip. 
I swum in an idle circle. ~That would depend on the question I suppose.~ I flicked my tail back and forth. Biting back the desire to ask why.  
Her eyes narrowed, but she sighed. ~We're having a problem with one of them, and I need the solution on how to fix it.~
My sail fin flared up and down. ~Without knowing the problem, I would say let them leave the pet shop. That would solve a lot of it, I suppose.~
She shook her head. ~No can do.~ She glanced away, before focusing back on me. ~Your reptile friend isn't eating. He hasn't in weeks. We've tried everything, but it's like he's given up. And we're worried. Why would he do that? He knows that he can leave once his sentence is over.~
That didn't sound like Larry. ~What have the others said?~ I asked swimming closer to the glass.
~They won't talk to me.~
Of course not. I had probably been the only one stupid enough to take her question deal. ~I don't know why. He's not the kind to give up. He could be sick with some reptile sort of cold.~
~The vet says he's fine.~
She'd taken Larry to the vet? He was that sick? My sail fin flare in worry. ~Maybe he doesn't like eating mice.~
She shook her head with a mental snort. ~Only the snakes eat those.~
I mentally rolled my eyes at her. ~Well, how do you expect me to know what shape you changed my friends into? I'm going by guess work here.~
~You're more astute then the others.~
~Not when it comes to animals, I'm pretty clueless.~ I turned in a circle. ~What is he?~
~He's a tortoise.~
I froze. ~Out of all the reptiles available, you chose to change him into that?~ I couldn't keep the disbelief out of my voice. ~Why?~
I'd been stewing on this question for days. Why were we given our animal shapes?
~We want to make sure that you don't ever attempt to rob us again.~ She said after a moment's consideration. ~So we turn you something that plays off a fear.~ she cocked her head, a faint smile on her face.
Fears. I groaned. No wonder I had a three second memory. I was the planner of the group. I had to rely on my memory a lot. To lose it, could mean that me and/or my crew could end up in jail.
~He takes pride in speed.~ I whispered. ~You've taken way everything he's defined himself off of. He always has to be the fastest. And to be stuck as a turtle, you've stuck him in a never ending nightmare.~
~You got stuck with a three second memory, and you're not lying on the bottom of the tank not eating.~
~That's because I don't define myself by my memory.~ I argued back. ~He. Does. Speed is all he cares about. If he isn't the fastest he works to be the fastest. And if I'm guessing right, you've probably made him the slowest Tortoise possible. Unable to be faster then any one else in the same cage as him. Right?~
She nodded silently.
~He's realized that by now. He can't win. He can't be the fastest. He's not eating because he doesn't see the point anymore.~
She shook her head. ~He taking things to the extreme.~
~That's his way.~ I couldn't let Larry die for this. For my pride. My robbery. I rose up to her eye levels. ~If you want him to get better, you're going to have to change his shape.~
~I can't. His reptile shape is set until that part of his sentence is up.~ Her eyes told me nothing about what she was thinking. What she was after. If they were this concerned about our health, they would turn him back human.
~That's just stupid. Change him to a snake, or some fast lizard!~
~I can't.~
My sail fin rose. I had to do something. ~Give it to me.~
She raised an eyebrow. ~Give what to you?~
~Give me his sentence. Add it on to mine.~
~Now you're just talking crazy.~
~We're talking about my friend dying because you took away everything he defines his life on.~ I snapped. ~You're not willing to change his reptile shape, or to just waive his sentence and turn him back human. So give it to me. Fish have scales. It's only a short step away from reptiles. Just transfer his sentence over to me and let him go onto his rodent form. Please.~
Her eyes widened. ~That would mean you'd be here longer.~
~I'd rather be here longer then have him suffer.~
~It's not your fault he's in that position.~
Technically, it was. I was the leader of our crew. But that little fact was going to stay on the down low for as long as possible.
~Does it matter? He's my friend. Give me that part of his sentence. Please, just give him his speed back.~

#Henry