It's a Long Way Down

Chapter Eleven: The Plan

Sodo's POV

I rubbed my temples in annoyance while everyone argued about how to save Ember. All they were doing was giving me a headache.

"Your idea is stupid and it will get all of us killed," Aether told Swiss. Swiss scoffed in response, "It's not like your idea is any better, banana man. Let's just wait until Sister gets back and convince her. Dude, we need Ember back, like, last week and you want to wait?"

"I'm just saying, I'm not wanting you risk my existence," Aether tried to defend. Mountain spoke up, "If it were you in this situation, you know damn well she would risk it all for you. Give her the same respect."

"We can just take the keys from the guards and break her out during the rotation," Rain said, but he was ignored by everyone. I heard it and looked at him, thinking it was a great idea. Besides, Rain knew the rotations. He probably knew more about the basement than he let on. The others continued to argue, making me growl and yell, "Shut up!"

Everyone looked at me in shock as I stood up. They were probably shocked I was able to control my power through my anger, since I didn't let any heat flare up and nothing caught fire when I yelled. But the truth was, had Ember been here, that would've happened. My power was just getting weaker being apart from her so long. I walked over to them and said, "Aether, your plan is stupid, there's no way we will ever convince Sister to keep her here. Besides, you really think either of us could survive a week being apart? It's only been 24 hours and my power is already weaker. Imagine another 48. Swiss, your idea is just downright impossible. Everything here is fucking stone. How do you expect us to find a drill that can get through it? Much less make a hole big enough for her to climb through and not be seen."

Everyone looked down at the ground as I lectured them. Of course, usually I was on the other end of the lectures, not giving them, but I was running out of time and so was Ember.

I pointed at Rain as I said, "If any of you were listening, Rain had an amazing idea and it's possible."

"Sodo, it's probably a bad idea," Rain said, not wanting the attention on him. I held my hand up to him, telling him to be quiet as I told them, "We can sneak into the basement and break her out without breaking anything. Take keys and get her out during the rotation. Rain knows all about the rotations. How, I don't know, and at this point, I don't care. Point is, we can get her out and protect her ourselves. If Sister wants to send her back, she's sending all of us back, and I know she doesn't have the power to send back nine ghouls, much less summon 9 more directly after. Not this close to the tour. There's no time for another ghoul to learn all the songs. Plus, I basically already did a test run for this plan this morning."

"What do you mean you did a test run already?" Aether exclaimed. Cirrus walked over and said, "Shut up, Aether, it doesn't matter. If he was able to get in and out of the basement without being seen, then we can get Ember out the same way."

"Of course, this is with the running risk of us being sent back. I know you're trying to avoid that, Aether. Feel free to not participate," I told him, crossing my arms over my chest. The bigger ghoul just huffed saying, "I wasn't trying to be a dick when I said I didn't want to risk being sent back. I know it's for Ember, and I know how important she is to you, Sodo. It's just natural instinct to not want to die."

"You won't die, dumbass," I shot at him, "You won't go anywhere because there's no way any of us are getting sent back. I already explained why, I'm not repeating it."

"It's a giant risk," Aether said. I nodded, "Yeah, it is. It's a risk I will take, with or without you guys.:

"I think it would be better to do it as a team, no?" Copia said, walking into the room. He looked at Rain and said, "How well do you know the rotations?"