More Than a Battle, Less Than a War || tøp AU

7

It has been a month since I arrived in Chicago.

A month.

A month of restless sleep, daily tutoring sessions, and bustling city streets.

I had no luck finding my lure, which is okay. "It'll come to me naturally", as Venn would say. He has familiarized me with the flow of this city and the government. I've come to acknowledge little things, like how there are more cities out there like Chicago, how the people protecting the statehouse have to make a living outside of city fences, and how your lack is a private subject and should not be openly discussed.

They say that protecting Xenon's residence is an honor and it acts as a thanks for the lures they are given. But do these people realize that they are human weapons made for violence, all for someone they are almost guaranteed to never come to know?

Zephyr brought that topic up with me a while back. These citizens really are oblivious to the fact they're only being used.

It's been a month since I last talked to her. Until today.

"Zephyr requested that I escort you to her office." Scarlet says through the dorm door.

"I'll be out in a sec!" I yell back groggily. Venn trained my fighting skills yesterday, and I am covered in aches and bruises.

It took all my might to climb out of bed. Walking towards my closet, a smile curls at the corner of my mouth. My wardrobe that consisted of a simple black outfit has upgraded to three simple black outfits.

"What are you doing?" Josh croaks, sitting up in his bed. "It's like 10 in the morning."

"Zephyr wants to see me." I say haughtily. Not everyone gets the chance to see Zephyr too often.

"So? Anyone can see Zephyr if they wanted to!"

"Then why didn't she request you, Mr. Legend!"

"You two sound like little kids! Tyler, please hurry up." Scarlet echoes.

Josh shuts his mouth and flops back in his bed. I turn my cheek away with a slight 'humph' before leaving the room.

"It's about time." Scarlet sighs, exasperated. "You know how Zephyr doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"I'm Zephyr's so-called biggest weapon. I could choose whether or not to cooperate with her."

Scarlet leads me into the elevator at the end of the hallway.

"You should quit acting all high and mighty. It's going to cost you in the future."

"Yeah, yeah."

The elevator slowly and steadily lifts us up to the top floor. The doors open to ivory walls and polished windows, a room I set foot in only once before.

Scarlet reaches out for the door knob of Zephyr's office and takes a deep breath before striding inside.

"Hello Zephyr! Look at you, hard at work. I hope to be like you one day!" she cheers. "I have brought to you Tyler Joseph, just as you requested!"

Zephyr blushes at the compliment and beckons me to come further inside.

"Thank you, darling. Seeing you always brightens my day. You are dismissed."

"Yessir!" she says, then stands up straight to salute her. "Be back soon!" she then skips out of the room, humming a tune I've never heard before.