Tyrant

(𝟸𝟿) 𝚀𝚞𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝙽𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝

Without Retrieving duties, I had nothing to do around the Base.

Except have a fashion show with a few off-duty female rebels.

"Okay, I'm gonna be honest, I look so delicious in this." Astrid gushes as she twirls in her black mini-dress, watching her reflection in one of the many mirrors around the Clothing Storage room. I grin at her enthusiasm as I sort through a closet of shirts, only to find them male-sized and quite large.

Sarnai, her long white hair contrasting with her deep blue overalls, says, "You do look very pretty, Sister." She looks down at herself with a smile. "These overalls are so comfortable. I wish we were able to go Retrieving in them."

The petite girl I had met yesterday, Estelle, straightens her simple red shirt. "You would be too noticeable-blending in with the citizens has to come first."

I glance at my reflection in the long mirror, and can't help the smile that blooms across my face-the black dress I have on, one similar to Astrid's, really suits me, its thin shoulder straps looking like liquid onyx against my fair skin. "How the hell does the Base even have all these clothes?"

Zehra responds, folding the sleeves of her pale pink dress. "You know, I think the Base was a clothing store. Because the amount and variety of clothes in here is ridiculous. I would like to double check with Raeyan, though. I've never asked and am curious."

Jupiter, the blue-haired Communicator, says, "This Base used to be a subterranean multi-segmented home, owned by a wealthy man that housed many. Raeyan told me once, when I first arrived."

So Raeyan doesn't have a chip, if she was able to delve into elaborate details about the previous appearance of the Base.

And the Base used to be a home?

"Housed many? What do you mean?" I ask, and she runs a hand through her blue hair before responding.

"I'll go into detail, as I don't have a chip." She flicks her hair over a shoulder, and I curiously eye her throat. "It was like...rentals. Where more than one person can occupy the place, yet it's still their home. They would be like roommates, in a way. It explains the multitudes of shower stalls and bedrooms and clothes and all."

"Oh, I see. And they would pay?"

"Of course. It was cheaper than most rentals in the area, as there's not much privacy here, but they did pay the owner."

I purse my lips in thought. "That's actually really cool."

"Agreed. And when Raeyan found the Base all those years ago, it already housed so many of our needs: running water, clothing, bedrooms-it's probably what sparked her idea of assembling rebels together to begin with."

I can't even imagine Raeyan Tira alone and dirty and on the streets. It's an unimaginable image.

"When did she decide to even assemble the Base? To get rebels together?"

"I don't know. She never said." Jupiter shrugs as she adjusts her bright green sleeveless top, and before I can stop my traitorous tongue, I say, "You look like a damn blueberry on a vine in that shirt."

The Communicator bursts out laughing, and my own laugh echoes off my lips. The girl's laugh is infectious-a majority of the females in the Clothing Storage room chuckle.

She presses a dramatic hand to her chest. "Let me just say that I've always wanted to dye my hair blue. Since I was six years old-but my mom never let me. So don't go making fun of my dream-come-true."

I laugh again, the sound light and easy. "I promise I wasn't making fun, Sister. I love how vibrant your hair is. Bruno seems to agree with me." I tease, remembering their proximity yesterday.