Finding Leo proved to be harder than we expected. Right after our small talk outside the Pandora HQ, we spent hours scouring the city for him. By "scouring," I mean that quite literally; Diana simply refused to use the streets like a normal person.
"Hmmm..." Diana looked down from the edge of a roof, gazing at a large outdoor lounge across the carpeted street. "Oh! It's the Blazing Wildfire Circle!" she exclaimed, pointing at a structure tucked between two much larger buildings.
The building was suspended in mid-air, supported by a massive metal pillar from below. Around that pillar was a gargantuan stage, currently obscured by a heavy curtain. It was only thanks to our elevation that we could even see it.
"Is Leo in there?"
"No, but I've heard about them. This Circle is owned by a Trailblazer who specializes in clothing design," she replied with a grin. "They can help us make our Trailblazer uniforms." She gestured toward it. "Let's check it out. We'll look for Leo later."
I shrugged and followed her down. Sometimes I wondered if fall damage even applied to her. Given that she had bodied a giant snake like a guided missile from a hundred feet in the air, I didn't think a simple drop from a roof would bother her.
"Oooh..." Diana marveled as she landed on the stage. "This looks amazing."
I studied the way the structure was tethered to the buildings on either side for additional support. "Huh... why do I have a feeling I know who owns this place?" I looked up. "Where's the entrance, anyway?"
We stepped onto the stage and approached the pillar. There was a door built into the metal, which we assumed was the way in.
"Ah, wait!" Diana took a step back. "I think it's closed. The curtains are drawn; that usually means they aren't taking visitors."
"Oh, okay. Should we—"
The curtains suddenly parted as lights flickered on across the marble stage. A cloaked figure leaped from the building above and landed perfectly in front of us.
"Thou art in the territory of the Blazing Wildfire!" a very familiar voice shouted as the figure struck a dramatic pose. "State thine business!" With a flourish, she flung open her cloak, revealing Inata in all her theatrical glory. "For I am Inata of the Blazing Wildfire! The truth cloaked in deception, the blade that shines in the dark, and the fire that burns the hollow-hearted!"
I was fairly certain I wasn't cultured enough to understand any of those references.
"Oh... umm, hello..." Diana smiled nervously. "I heard that you take clothing commissions?"
"An astute observation, young lass!" Inata twirled and gestured toward the door. "Thou art welcome here. Feel free to step within and peruse our wares!"
Diana giggled and bowed coordinate. "Why, thank you, Inata of the Blazing Wildfire. I shall be forever grateful for thy hospitality."
I rolled my eyes and followed Diana through the door. "Is Sally around?" I asked Inata.
"Oh, hi Viel! Yeah, she's around—just getting things ready."
Inside was a small lounge area with a sofa. The button near the door indicated that the entire pillar was actually an elevator. "So..." I said, sitting down. "You guys own a boutique?"
Inata tilted her head. "Boutique? Is that what you call a theater?"
"No, I mean the clothing design part. In the Old World, you'd go to a boutique to have clothes made," I explained.
Inata nodded. "Oh, for sure! You may call this place a Boutique, among other things." She folded her arms, a proud grin on her face. "Sally is a master craftsman, you see. She can make anything! She's the one who provides me with all my props and costumes."
I blinked. "Oh, so you're actually an actor?"
"An actor, a poet, a bard, a preacher, and everything in between!" She struck another pose before bowing. "At your service."
Well, that explains the monologues.
The elevator hissed to a stop, and the doors opened to reveal a sprawling workshop. Papers were scattered everywhere—sketches, diagrams, and fabric swatches. Sally sat in the middle of the mess, sketching intently.
"Hi, Sally."
The girl looked up and gave me a warm smile. "Viel, welcome." She turned to Diana. "You're Diana, right? Hi." She looked back at Inata. "Did you give her the box?"
Inata marched in, wearing a faux-smug expression. "Why art thou acting so calmly, Sally dearest?" she taunted. "Was it not you who doubted mine wisdom?"
Sally rolled her eyes. "You were right. I said they'd show up eventually, so we didn't need to go looking for them." She turned back to Diana and stepped over the piles of paper. "In any case, congratulations. You passed the Trailblazer exam." Sally stood up and retrieved a box from the corner. "Here you go."
Diana beamed and hugged the box to her chest. "Thank you... Oh, also, we're here to see about making our Trailblazer uniforms?"
"Sure." Sally smiled and began clearing the papers from a nearby table. "I've actually prepared some initial sketches, but before I show you those, I'd like to see what you had in mind." She grabbed a few fresh sheets of paper. "Go ahead."
I stared at the blank page in front of me. "What should I do?"
"Draw or write anything you want," Sally said, handing me a mechanical pencil. "I'll handle the technical side. Don't worry if your ideas seem too outlandish; it's better not to limit yourself at the start."
She really is the nicest person in this city, I thought.
To my left, Diana was already sketching. Her drawing was gorgeous—leagues ahead of anything I could produce. My anxiety wouldn't let me even attempt a stick figure, so I decided to stick to writing down my requests.
Let's see... what do I want? I want to look reliable. Industrial steampunk vibes, maybe? Nothing too fancy; I don't want people getting the wrong idea. I have a massive energy capacity, so... something that suggests I'm built for hard work and long shifts.
What else? According to Deva, I was pretty tough. He did say holding my own against Inata and Sally was a feat.
After ten minutes, I finished my description and handed it to Sally. Beside me, Diana was adding the finishing touches to a sketch of herself in a brown hoodie and sturdy trousers.
"Hmm..." Sally hummed as she reviewed our requests. "Your drawing is adorable, Diana. I love it."
"T-thank you. I don't draw that often..." Diana murmured.
Sally turned to me. "Umm, what exactly does 'Industrial' mean? I'm not familiar with the term."
I thought for a second. How did I explain the Industrial Revolution to someone in Ingenuity? "It refers to mass-produced goods. A process that creates identical items, en masse. Basically, I'm a robot specialized in repetitive, tedious tasks."
"Oh, so like a machine?" Sally asked.
"Yes. An industrial machine. That's the vibe I'm looking for," I said, shrugging. "I'm not really built for creative work, so I want my look to reflect that."
"Got it." Sally set the paper down. "I'm thinking repeating patterns, strong geometric shapes... As for Diana, your design is great, but to keep up with the safety guidelines, we'll have to make that hoodie out of plasteel mesh."
Diana's eyes widened. "Trailblazer uniforms are made of plasteel?"
"To protect your vitals, yes," Sally said, tapping her chin. "The hood is great for protecting your head, and the chest area is a must. For the torso..." She paused. "We can use regular Kevlar for the midsection to increase mobility, or remove it entirely? What do you think? Do you want to revise the sketch?"
Diana took the paper back and began adjusting the design.
"Can't you just make the whole thing out of plasteel?" I asked.
"I could, but that would go over your starting budget," Sally explained. "Plasteel is expensive. It's best to start small—your first few jobs shouldn't be too dangerous. Once you save up some credits, you can upgrade your gear." she handed my paper back to me. On the reverse side, she had already sketched a portrait.
It was the pinnacle of a blue-collar worker: a black bodysuit, a sturdy vest, utility trousers, a belt, and a cap. It was covered in pockets and practical details. It screamed "worker" in the best way possible.
"I love it," I grinned. "This is awesome."
"Thanks! I tried to keep the silhouette rectangular and the patterns simple to focus on practicality," she explained. "The suit is thick Kevlar and the vest is plasteel. For the utility belt... I'm going to make it out of a rigid material, more like an attachment to your chassis than a piece of clothing. What do you think?"
"Sounds perfect." I gave her a thumbs-up. I wasn't about to correct her; compared to my "deprecated" creativity, her design was a masterpiece.
"Alright then, time for measurements." Sally handed me a specific-looking ruler. "Stand up and hold this."
I stood still while Inata approached with a specialized camera. "Say cheese!" she chirped, snapping a photo. "Aright, done."
"Your turn, Diana," Sally said. "You aren't a robot, so we have to do this the old-fashioned way." She smiled sheepishly.
"Right." Diana pulled off her oversized sweater, leaving her in only her underwear. I tried to avert my gaze, though Diana didn't seem particularly embarrassed. She continued until she was standing bare-naked in the middle of the room.
Finally, she blushed slightly. "Ah... what do you think?"
"Hot," Inata quipped.
Sally smiled gently. "You're gorgeous, Diana." She produced a measuring tape and stepped closer. "Raise your arms and take a deep breath."
I watched as Sally expertly measured every inch of her. I was still confused about why they didn't need to do that for me. "Why didn't you have to measure me like that? What was the ruler for?"
"It's better not to use Pixel Measurement on humans," Inata explained. "Humans are... well, elastic and soft-bodied. They breathe, they shift. You, on the other hand, are rigid. We can get away with stiff clothes because your chassis doesn't deform. You don't breathe."
Ah. Makes sense.
Once Sally finished the measurements, Diana pulled her underwear back on but left the sweater on the bench. "Since I'm here, I think I want to order some new casual clothes," she said, eyeing her old sweater. "What do you think would suit me?"
"I mean, wearing that heavy sweater all the time must be hot," I said, shrugging. "Why not go for a regular hoodie that matches your Trailblazer gear?"
"That sounds cute, but I want something different," Diana said thoughtfully. "Something... more revealing? I want to be more confident in how I look. And since I like running, it would be nice to have more airflow."
Right. Decency is an afterthought in this world. I keep forgetting.
"Do you want something premade?" Sally pointed to a rack of clothes. "Why not pick out a few things you like before we talk about a custom order?"
We walked over to the racks. It was hard to believe everything here was handmade by Sally—the dresses, the suits, the shirts.
"This might take a while, Viel. Is that okay?" Diana asked, grabbing a few hangers.
"Sure, take your time."
Diana disappeared into the racks with five different outfits.
"How much do these cost?" I asked Sally.
"There's a scale over there," Sally said, gesturing to the corner. "One hundred credits per kilogram."
I froze. "A scale? You sell handmade clothes by the weight!?" I looked back at Sally, who was already sketching new schematics on a sheet of plastic. "These are all handmade, aren't they? Shouldn't these cost like... I don't know, a fortune?"
Sally tilted her head. "Well, they aren't custom-tailored, so why should I charge more than the material cost and a basic fee? Besides, you're doing me a huge favor by wearing them. It's free advertising!"
My God... In the Old World, people would have cleared these racks in seconds. Collectors would have fought over every unique piece.
"Aren't you afraid some rich guy will just buy everything up for an private collection?" I asked.
Sally nodded. "It's a risk, but I haven't heard of any hoarders nearby." She paused and looked at Inata. "Is there a suspected hoarder on the loose?"
Inata folded her arms. "Mmm... not really. There are rumors, but no one we should be worried about."
"What exactly makes someone a 'hoarder' compared to a collector?" I asked.
Sally paused to fold a length of cloth. "A hoarder buys things just to have them. They don't really need the items, and they don't use them; they just stack them up."
Inata smirked. "Like Aion."
"No!" Sally nudged her with a pencil. "Aion commissioned those plushies for himself. It's not hoarding if you commission a specific piece for a specific reason. It's only hoarding if you buy things off the rack for no reason." She looked at me. "But I suppose if someone's house looks like Aion's room, it's a safe bet they're a hoarder."
"What about a collector?"
"You mean a curator?" Sally asked. "A curator owns a collection or a gallery that is usually open to the public. They have a purpose for the items. A hoarder keeps things only for themselves."
"Is there a specific reason why you feel that way?"
Sally's expression turned serious. "The last thing I want is for someone to buy my work just to put it in a box and forget about it. Clothes are meant to be worn, not just looked at. They aren't paintings."
So this is what happens when the artist is the one with the power.
"How much do you charge for tailored clothes tho?"
A sheepish smile formed on Sally's face. "Well, if it's custom tailored then, it'll be different since..."
"She wrings you dry," Inata said flatly. "Absolutely merciless, I've seen her charge more than a whole house for a single clothes commission," she folded her arms. "You can fund an entire Circle Base for months for a single commission,"
Sally blushed and looked down. "It was a very complex and very specific piece that took me months to make," she said.
Okay, so luxury goods still exist, and they're commissions.
"Do malls exist here?" I asked.
"Malls?"
"Shopping centers? Giant buildings with everything you could want under one roof?"
Inata thought for a moment. "Oh, you mean like a festival or an exhibition?"
Sally nodded. "Yes, we have exhibitions on special occasions. Circles will open stalls to show off their latest creations. It's very fun—you can find all sorts of niche Circles that way."
"It's like treasure hunting," Inata added. "Lots of hidden gems!"
So a "Comic-Con" style gathering was handled with more reverence than a shopping mall. It seemed everything here was personal.
"I'm back! What do you think, Viel?"
I turned to see Diana wearing only a sports bra and a pair of very short shorts. She was carrying her underwear, which made it fairly obvious she wasn't wearing anything underneath that combo. She looked like she'd just stepped out of a high-end gym.
"You look great," I said.
"Thanks." Diana held out her underwear toward me. "Do you mind carrying these in your compartment?"
I blinked. "Sure..." I opened my torso and let her tuck the clothes inside. Nothing weird here, Viel. Just a courier bot doing its job. Total consent. No big deal. "Anyway..." I looked back at Sally. "Is that it?"
"Oh, I also wanted to ask about the hoodie," Diana said, picking up her old, oversized sweater. "Can you turn this into a hoodie for me?"
"Sure," Sally said, taking the garment. "Any specific design?"
"Make it look like a casual version of my Trailblazer uniform. But I want to keep the oversized sleeves."
I realized then that people here only owned a few pieces of clothing. Laundry took only minutes during a shower, so there was no reason to have a full closet. They just cycled through or recycled what they had.
"Wait, how much does Aion pay you to make Trailblazer Uniforms?"
Sally bit her lip and looked away. "Can we talk about something else?"
"Deva pays us one million per uniform," Inata said flatly.
I coughed a little. "Seriously!?"
Sally puffed up her cheeks. "I'll have you know, my service costs at least more than that," she folded her arms. "You think it's easy to even have permission to make Trailblazer Uniform??? I'm no amateur!"
I raised my hands. "I am not implying you're an amateur Sally, totally," I sighed a little. "Anyway... is Diana's modification on her clothes on the house?"
Sally looked at me. "Obviously, I'm not as cheap as Inata led you to belief!"
"I'll finish it along with your uniform," Sally decided. "You don't mind wearing just that for now, do you?"
"Not at all!" Diana said, perfectly comfortable in her bra and shorts. "We'll see you both later then. We need to go find our friend Leo."
"Leo?" Inata looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure... last I heard, he was at the library, but he might have moved on by now."
I turned to Diana. "There's a library here?"
Diana grinned. "Apparently! Come on, let's go check it out."