(Y/N) peered into the barrel of the gun, turning the gears to make sure that it functioned properly. Nothing sucked more than a faulty weapon. The brass was smooth under her fingertips, and she aimed for a target on the rickety wall, miming the pull of the trigger. Besides her, Sasha was tinkering with her metal crossbow, lovingly cleaning off the smudges.
"(Y/N)," Connie's distinct whine filled up the small room. "Why don't I get a cool weapon like a gun? I don't want this stupid dagger."
(Y/N) shook her head, amused. "A dagger is an excellent weapon, Connie. You just need to learn how to wield it correctly."
"Besides, it's not like you'll ever be in a position where you need to use it," Jean looked up from where he was packing a knapsack bag with supplies. "We've got (Y/N). Nothing bad will happen to us when she's here."
(Y/N) grinned. "Aw shucks, Jean. I didn't know you felt that way about me."
"Shut up," Jean mumbled, the tips of his ears turning red. "I just meant that after Levi, you're the strongest fighter in the underground."
"You're damn right," (Y/N) slipped the gun into the holster that sat on her hips, hidden by the baggy red hoodie she was wearing. Her fingers and hands were wrapped with white bandages, ready to be used in a fistfight. A quick glance around the room showed her that everyone else was ready. It was time to go topside.
The door to the little shack where all five of them resided opened, and Levi walked in. The chilly air entered with him, causing (Y/N) to shiver. He nodded in approval when he saw the weapons. "You remember the target address?"
"In the upper east side of Shiganshina City. 73 Crossover Road. Next to the huge water fountain shaped like a mermaid," (Y/N) recited.
Levi nodded once more. He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. He didn't go on these little raids. He used to, years ago. But now he had his crew, people he trusted more than anyone else. The raids were necessary for survival. The money from the jewelry and fancy tech bought rations and other necessities for not just his crew, but other people in the underground as well. Every month, a group of people snuck into the topside and stole whatever they could get their hands on. When they returned, they sold it at the pawnshop and split the money evenly between groups of people. So far, there was a syndicate of five groups that alternated with sneaking up top. Without comraderies, living in the underground was impossible.
"Be careful," he warned.
"When am I not?" (Y/N) stood, pulling the knapsack over her shoulder. Sasha followed her lead, hiding her crossbow underneath her woolen cloak. Connie, still scowling, walked over as well.
"Lead them well," Levi placed a hand on her shoulder. "And come back home by nine, okay? The hole in the gate—"
"I know, dad," (Y/N) joked. "This isn't my first rodeo. We'll be back soon enough, with enough loot to last us for months."
Levi let go of her shoulder and opened the door to the shack, ushering the four of them outside. (Y/N) took the lead, as she often did, and walked through the familiar alleyways. The sky was still dark, a blur of orange in the horizon as the sun took its time rising. This early in the morning, the underground was quiet and still. The only life they witnessed was the scuttering of the occasional rat. Nights were far livelier—another reason why they did this in the morning. Not everyone knew about the hole in the gate.
A half-hour later, (Y/N) found herself standing at the edge of the big golden gate that prevented people from the underground from venturing topside. She glared at the arch. Topsiders preached equality and inclusion, yet they never acted upon it. People from the underground were only allowed up top if they had a rational reason. What was the point of this stupid gate? Were they worried that the poverty that plagued the underground would spread above?
"Connie," (Y/N) motioned for the boy to step forward and tinker with the weak locks. He pulled out a wire and what looked like a screwdriver and got to work, listening to the gears churning. This part of the gate was unsupervised, none of the Sina Guard stationed nearby. The locks were weak, creating a "hole" in the security system. While the door was incredibly small, it was enough for the four of them to squeeze through. This was how people snuck above.
"Done," Connie stood back, pushing the small gate open with one finger. It creaked open, displaying a large grassy field, and the skyline of Shiganshina City on a hill in the distance.
"Let's do this," (Y/N) inhaled a breath of the clean meadow air and marched directly towards the skyline, determination coursing through her veins.
--
They knew they had reached the city once they could smell the faint scents of strawberries, sugar, and...and automobile oil. Compared to the underground, Shiganshina City was bright and golden, brimming with possibilities. Cars rushed by on busy roads, the laughter of children as they chased after kites, the chatter of people walking by...it was a very stark contrast to what (Y/N) had grown up with. Here, she could breathe. Here, she could hope for a better future. She pulled her hoodie onto her head, hoping that while her group's outfits seemed grungy, they'd be able to fit in.
"Oh my god," Sasha pointed to one of the nearby carts. "They have funnel cake. I've never had funnel cake. Look at all that sugar!"
"Is that a hoverboard?" Connie gawked as someone whizzed by. "I tried making one in the past, but I haven't been able to figure out how to get it to move!"
"The people up here are so different," Jean's eyes had been on a pretty girl that had passed by and (Y/N) swatted his arm.
"Guys, try to blend in, okay? We can't act surprised at everything we see," (Y/N) explained, searching the road names so that she could figure out where the East Side was. Luckily, it didn't take long before she was able to guide the rest of her friends through the throngs of people to the quieter, more secluded, east area of Shiganshina.
"I wish I could live here," Sasha sighed as she gazed up at an apartment complex. "Imagine having warm water to take showers as long as you want! Or being able to sleep on a bed so soft, it feels like sleeping on a cloud."
"I know," (Y/N) glanced over at Sasha, feeling pity for the brunette. Without money, no one made it in Shiganshina City. All of the city's homeless and desperate were kicked to the underground. "If I had the money, I'd buy us all an apartment here."
"There's the building," Jean pointed. It was a tall skyscraper, looming up to meet the cerulean blue of the sky. Balconies protruded from the walls, many holding pots of plants and flowers. There were golden etchings along the white brick, curling throughout the building like vines.
"73 Crossover Road," (Y/N) mumbled. "The third level, room on the left."
"Right over there," Sasha nodded towards the balcony that housed a huge marble sculpture. She stood on her toes, peering at the sliding door. "It seems like a classic lock. No added security measures."
"How lame," Connie snorted. "But it should be easy for us to get up there."
(Y/N) glanced towards the empty courtyard, trying to see if there was anyone else in the vicinity. Once she was sure that the four of them were alone, she nodded to the building. "Let's scale this thing."
It hadn't been difficult climbing the building. It hadn't even been difficult breaking in. Picking and choosing which valuables to nab was the easiest part of all. No one had been home, and there was no security system. Anything shiny, anything that seemed brand new, went straight into the bag. Did the four of them feel bad? Maybe. Perhaps the person who owned all of these items was a good person. Perhaps they didn't have the same mentality as the rest of the topsiders. But the four of them had to live. (Y/N) had to look out for her family, and for the rest of her friends in the underground. If she didn't, all of them would die cold and hungry. In this world, everyone fended for themselves.
"Sorry," (Y/N) muttered to the topsider she envisioned in her mind as she grabbed a gold trinket, stuffing it into the bag.
"I've filled up my bags," Connie called out. Sasha and Jean nodded in agreement and (Y/N) tied up her sack, casting one last look around the apartment.
"Let's go," she motioned towards the balcony again. "Leave this place exactly how we found it."
The four of them exited the building, heading back down the road they had come from. The sun was high in the sky, shining down brightly. All four of them were buzzing with excitement and anticipation, eager to show the pawn shop all of their goods.
"Do I get cake?" Sasha asked excitedly. "We've got over ten grand worth of stuff. This will last us months!"
"Yes, you get cake," (Y/N) smiled. "What would it be? Strawberry shortcake, funnel cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes?"
(Y/N) could practically see Sasha salivating as she tried to come up with an answer. As the four of them walked through the city where they were uninvited, she felt a sense of power and belonging. Even though she wasn't supposed to be there, as long as she had her friends by her side, she would be willing to venture even in the darkest of places.