The boys left the room, and headed up the stairs, ready for food.
They were all still slightly drowsy but most definitely hungry.
The sound of their feet resonated in the silent room of the living room, none having the energy to comment of the brushing sound.
They finally got through the living room, taking the short cut of the kitchen, and was surprised to find the dining table full, all residents sitting there.
But they were more surprised at the quietness as well as the seemingly feast on the table.
"What are you guys all doing here?" Mark asked. He couldn't help but notice the dark sky outside the window.
The younger boys all took their seats quietly, not trying to disturb the others in whatever it was that they were doing.
"We were waiting for you," Jaehyun answered, motioning to Doyoung to start passing the food around.
Renjun nodded to himself, grabbing a bowl of rice that was placed near his seat, as the others did as well.
"They're planning another 'raid,'" Taeyong said aloud, breaking the silence that was occasionally interrupted with the sounds of tableware clinking.
The noises didn't falter, but it did make the others start to think.
"It's time for Rank Three's departure, and it's scheduled for 06:00. YangYang, Chenle, Jisung, Xiao Dejun and Ten will set out, so I suggest you all get your good night's sleep, and be fully ready for tomorrow," the members of Rank Three nodded, listening intently to Taeyong's words.
Renjun couldn't help but feel a bit of dread fill his words.
. . .
Chenle was still sleepy when he had started to trek to the Cliffs, but he felt a bit of an adrenaline rush at the thought of confronting those from the Inside.
The grass still held the dew from the heat of the previous night, the texture soft under the young boy's shoes.
He was glad that he was able to be with Jisung, but even though he had been spending the past few months with the inhabitants of Neo City, having someone he had known for years to be there with him was the most comforting.
He looked behind himself to see the sleepy Jisung, who was trudging his feet along as they each made their way.
He slowed his steps as he waited for the younger, slinging an arm over Jisung's shoulders as he made his way to him.
"Isn't this fun?" Chenle asked, way too brightly in Jisung's opinion.
"No, it's too early for this," Jisung answered, tone low and slow.
"C'mon, this is an adventure!"
Jisung only responded with a groan, quickly laying his head on the older's shoulder, way too tired to be listening to Chenle's overactive self.
Sighing deeply, the younger felt himself slowly start to waken up, energy seemingly pouring into himself.
Chenle started to droop the slightest, before shaking his head slightly and letting go of Jisung.
"What did you just do?" Chenle asked, jumping up and down slightly, trying to regain his suddenly lowered energy.
"I-I don't know," Jisung answered truthfully, looking at his hands he had outstretched before him.
He suddenly felt alive, without the slightest trace of tiredness left inside of him.
They had stopped, which didn't fail to get Ten, YangYang, and Dejun's attention.
"What's up, guys?" Ten asked, yelling from a little ways in front of them.
"O-oh, nothing," Chenle answered, before looking at the maknae.
"Well, then come on!" YangYang hollered, smiling brightly while waving at them.
Nodding, the two ran to the others, thoughts racing through both of their minds.
The trip continued as they were now on the tough terrain of the Cliffs, Jisung and Chenle both slightly struggling.
"Alright, so they are scheduled to start their trek at 08:00 hours, so that should be soon," Dejun told them.
They all nodded. They had been climbing through the rocks, and had made it almost to the edge where the Cliffs bordered the Inside's border.
They were to wait for the next group of neon clad men that would try and travel through and stop them.
As if on cue, at 08:00 the men started leaving the Inside, coming up to the edge of the Cliffs.
"How does she suppose we get over these?"
"I can't believe I got stuck with you idiots."
"Us? Idiots? I think you're thinking of the wrong people. You're the idiots."
Chenle wanted to snort at the bickering, and almost did out loud when one of the men tried to start climbing, before landing on his back in the most unfashionable way.
They have terrible teamwork.
It was now 08:43, and the men had just now started to just now get themselves up on the top edge of the rocks.
They watched the men, the heat starting to beat down on the boys, and the men still struggled.
"Do we stick with them or?" YangYang asked, and Ten only nodding in response.
They continued to trail the men, not speaking a word and the men had been trailing, not even yet half way through.
"Now."
Ten's voice was a shock for the rest.
"Now?"
"Yes, now. When else?"
"O.K."
Dejun had casually walked out from the cluster of rocks they had been hiding from, whisling.
This immediately caught the men's attention, who each held up a gun.
Dejun smirked at their efforts, before raising both hands, making the men cower, before blindly looking around.
"Where'd he go?"
Dejun walked closer to the bunch, before kicking the gun out from one of the men's hands.
The man flinched, before trying to reach out and grab the young man.
Suddenly, the ground started to shake under the men, making them fall, and then rocks surrounded the men as YangYang revealed himself with the other three.
"Let's have some fun."
. . .
They had fought the men, Dejun taking turns in making each or all the boys invisible and systematically attack the men.
The men had been able to hurt them, but only minorly due to them not always seeing who was attacking them.
They had been full of spite, the men not hesitating to attack the Defects.
But things turned south when one of the men had grabbed a gun.
And Jisung.
Although Jisung was tired, he immediately felt his energy slowly build, nothing as fast as it had been when he had effected Chenle.
Chenle seemed to freak out, breathing heavily in an anxiety and rage induced vision.
He felt a pressure pressing against his sternum, but he tried not to pay it any attention.
That's my Jisung.
"Get your hands off of him!" he screamed in his mother tongue at the men.
Their response only being to holding Jisung tighter.
The pressure in Chenle's chest seemed to only grow. He clutched at it, the pain bringing him to his knees as he cried from the pain and the stress from the situation they were in.
He sobbed, as the others still paced as the man who held Jisung was sweating bullets.
Jisung's heart almost broke seeing Chenle in so much pain, a few stray tears flowing from eyes.
Chenle cowered, not knowing what the pain was, but the only choice he had was to yell.
Loudly.
He opened his mouth, screaming as the pain seemed to leave.
The others had to cover their ears, as Jisung took his chance to punch the man in the face and leave his arms, quickly rushing over to the screaming Chinese boy.
He stopped, shaking as Jisung held the older.
"Are you O.K.?"
The others were looking at the men, who all had collapsed, blood running from their orifices, dead.
Chenle shook more, breathing heavily.
"I-I don't know."