- thirty nine -

"Guys, we need a plan about Abigail."

As soon as Taeyong said that, at least four to five other people choked on their first bite of food, everyone looking at Taeyong.

"W-what?" Johnny asked after taking a quick sip of water, being one of the ones that had eaten too fast.

Taeyong's face held no traces of fooling around, making a serious tension hang in the air.

Everyone seemed to stop eating, the placing of silverware of all the boys making a series of 'thunks' on the table.

Eyes widening quickly at the sight of the boys not eating, Taeyong realized his error.

"But we can discuss this after breakfast," he said quickly, a slight sheepish smile on his face as he looked at all of their faces.

Everyone looked at Taeyong, hesitant but eventually started eating once more after a couple of shared glaces to each other.

Chenle was happy, looking at the people around him, all eating happily and having conversations with each other. It made his heart want to smile, and he did the same.

Jisung had been sitting next to the older, not missing the huge smile plastered on his face. Jisung had to admit, Chenle's smiles are contagious, so it wasn't long until he felt the familiar lift of his own facial muscles. And it wasn't hard to determine just who helped him enjoy this new experience.

Respectively, although they didn't want to show the obvious separation between the newcomers and those who had been living there, Dream managed to stay together, not wanting to stray too far from the familiar just yet. Johnny kept up a good attitude, sitting next to Mark and making light conversation.

Renjun smiled, looking at the light-hearted conversations going around him, just simply eating in content.

Jaemin turned to Renjun, looking at him with a smile before quickly grabbing the older's hand in his under the table. Renjun looked at the younger, smiling back and gently squeezing his hand as he continued to eat.

Jeno looked at them, his heart warming at the sight before wrapping both his arms around the oldest of the three.

Renjun was surprised, almost choking on the omelette he had just put into his mouth as his head made contact with Jeno's chest.

Donghyuck decided to speak up, seeing the three happy.

"Can y'all tone it down just a touch? I'm trying to enjoy my meal here," he said, teasing them, pointing his chopstick at the trio.

Jaemin just scoffed at him, taking another bite of his food, hand still interlaced with Renjun's under the table.

Jeno flushed slightly, letting Renjun go after another tight squeeze.

This is what made them feel at home.

Just them, although they were a full table, enjoying their time together.

. . .

It took everyone a little while to finish eating their breakfast. Which made sense since there were twenty one of them.

Renjun was still flustered at the number of them, and realize that way over half of them were capable of awe worthy powers.

As everyone put their dishes by the sink in the kitchen, Mark decided to sit there at the island, waiting until everything was there.

Sighing slightly as the dishes seemingly never ending, Mark rubbed his hands on his face, groaning at the upcoming chore.

As Lucas was the last to put his dish at the sink, he sheepishly smiled at the groaning Mark, who didn't dare look at the mountain of dishes.

Lucas returned to the table, leaving Mark at the island, who kept his head in his arms.

Taeyong peeked his head out of the doorway, seeing the gloomy Mark sitting there, he smiled.

"Mark, you don't have to do that right now. We have some things to discuss, much more important than mere dishes," he said, making Mark to shoot up in his seat, eyes holding thankfulness as he raced back to the dining area.

Taeyong laughed lightly as he, too, walked back into the dining room.

Everyone was sat, the light from the morning sun illuminating everyone's faces as Taeyong scanned the room.

The tenseness from before returned, making some shiver in the cool atmosphere.

Taeyong didn't know where to start right off, so he went with his gut, and with what he knows.

"You all know that we've recently brought Dream from the Inside, where they were in a dangerous situation with Abigail. We don't know if she has been able to figure out if they are gone already, or if she's still under the belief that they still reside in that house. She will figure it out, and she'll know that we were behind it," he said, strongly explaining the future situation they will face, "we need to be prepared for future advances at us, because she will attack. It's all just a matter of time.'

Everyone gave understanding nods of their heads, not wanting to interrupt their leader.

"We have to train. All of us, including Dream, and we have to have a battle plan for when she does find out, because we all know that she will. Preparation is what we need. The floor is open to all suggestions," he finished, gesturing to the center of the table, allowing others to speak up.

At first, no one dared to say anything, letting everything that Taeyong had said sink in.

There was a loud noise, before they all turned to see a standing Lucas, and his fallen chair laying behind him.

He smiled, eyes wide.

"I've got an idea!" he said, very enthusiastic.

Taeyong nodded with a smile, urging the younger to continue.

"Go ahead."

"O.K., so I've got an idea, but like, don't make it an only choice, because it's only an idea," he said, making sure that they knew that it was an option, and not an only plan.

Taeyong nodded, looking at the younger with amusement in his eyes.

"O.K., so I have a singular question," he paused, hoping to have the rest get curious as to his plan, and everyone's attention was on him.

"Why should we wait for them to attack when we can beat them to the punch, and weaken them while they're down?"

This sparked many murmurs,discussing his plan, and think of their own.

Before they knew it, Sicheng sprung up, hand raised as if he were in class.

"Me! I have an idea too!" he said, gaining everyone's attention.

He hesitantly brought his raised hand down, slightly blushing of embarrassment for raising his hand.

He looked up at Taeyong, looking for reassurance. Taeyong gave him a smile, and nodded for him to voice his idea.

"Going another route than Lucas, why don't we have them come to us, and then we attack? We don't want to spur a war, only protect ourselves, so they won't have a way to blame us. Plus, if they make it over the Cliffs, they'll more than likely be weak by the time they make it over."

Everyone nodded in understanding of his idea too, more than half looking confused as to which battle strategy would help better.

Renjun this whole time was looking into what he had previously learned about past wars, trying to determine what strategy would cause the least damage and the casualties minimum.

Jaemin and Jeno had been listening quietly to the slight debate, until Renjun spoke up softly, before whipping their heads at the boy in between them.

"I think I might have a solution for both of those strategies," he said, standing up slightly.

Lucas and Sicheng were still standing, looking at the younger boy, smiling that they finally got to hear his opinion. He was very intelligent after all.

"Go ahead," Taeyong said, arms crossed as he looked at the boy fondly.

"Are you familiar with the Guerilla wars? Used in the early America, during the Revolutionary War?" he asked, looking at everyone else.

They all slowly shook their heads, answering a negative to Renjun's question.

"Well, while the Americans were trying to win independence from Britain, they used the Guerilla tactic, in order to avoid danger, but also slowly but surely take their target down. They would hide in the forest, and wait until a unit of Britain soldiers would pass, and then attacking, still behind the trees and whatnot, and would take them down. In our case, we could find out when they figure it out, and use the surrounding forest and the Cliffs to our advantage, in order to save lives and be successful in the end," he finished, looking at everyone around him.

Most had wide eyes, looking at the younger boy with awe, and Lucas looked at him, and started clapping his hands.

Renjun blushed, as the applauding seemed needless to him.

"Guys, there's no need for the applause, I'm just helping you get out of the mess I'm putting you in," he said, remembering that they had to prepare for the consequences coming for him leaving.

"If we did this all a second time, I wouldn't change my offer Renjun. You may not know it, but what Abigail has done, would not have been the last time. I couldn't sit back and watch it all go to hell and not do something," Taeyong said, uncrossing his arms.

Realizing that Taeyong meant his word, Renjun smiled softly, looking down.

"So have we decided?" Taeyong said, looking expectantly at the others.

They nodded, before all looking at Renjun.

Taeyong understood, and Renjun sat down.

Taeyong smiled at everyone, letting the silence settle in the room.

"Are we ready to train?" he asked, a slightly hidden fire burning in his eyes.