Hope born of solitus

*

Walking through the cold night air, her bare cold neck and cheek skin felt its chilly air, bearing a contrasting stimulation from her warm snug skin under her clothes. It was strange, only because a certain part of her body felt a little cold that the rest of her body felt even warmer. She took in the strange sights before her that she had never seen before, brightly lit yet not so vibrant billboards filled with commercial products and brands crowded the top of buildings.

She left the commercial street that paraded around the train station, walking into what felt like a labyrinth of tall buildings. Due to the night sky and light pollution, there was only a large patch of black that greeted her when she gazed above the buildings. Walking deeper into the labyrinth, she observed the various brands and what they sold. This was a commercial zone as opposed to a residential zone, it was practically 90% retail stores and brand stores.

It was a given that these names had no effect on her willingness to spend, she couldn't even remember what happened the day before her, how would she recognise any of these names? All she could see was the unfiltered lens of prices. She found it hard to justify buying anything practical, much less brand merch. Useless trinkets like keychains, acrylic stands, pins were abundant. Yet they sold so prosperously because others found value in attaining them.

... Hmm, maybe it's better to not buy anything. After all it wouldn't be this Lastia that brings them back home. She didn't want to burden the next one. Even so she came here to experience things, to feel her emotions stretch, ebb and flow as freely as it could. She stepped into the shop anyway, even if she looked at the products with a little disdain. Perhaps it was worth trying to enjoy something she didn't think she'd like.

At first glance, there was a row of glass shelves making an illuminating display of goods. These were the extra expensive goods, intricate figures, emblems, tokens, their value stretched further from the typical merchandise by a few digits. There was no way she could afford any of these, but it did not take away any more fulfillment from admiring them up close.

The mass of details, layer after layer, the tiny specks that the craftsmen even pay attention to. Nevermind how the material make up was delicately molded into the desired shape, the dexterous and skillful work put into painting was even more amazing in its own right.

Moving on from the glass shelves that faced the entrance, she walked around it, coming into view of the rest of the shop. The prices looked a lot more affordable, the variety of different types of goods also increased drastically. From laminated cards to jigsaw puzzles, multiple plushies of the same popular character. There was also a lot more people browsing through the wares, thinking up the best shopping decision. That's when she saw one figure.

A single particular character caught her eye, her hair was a bright lavender and her dress was white. She was in an ostentatious ballet pose, exuding endless beauty. Her face was finely sculpted and painted, blessing the world with its charm. It was a tad bit larger than the others, and it's price matched some of those that were on the glass shelves. She saw a world that could never be. If she kept her memories for more than one day, she might be able to develop affection. She might be able to bear sufficient love, enough to justify buying this beautiful figure with its slightly exorbitant price. She walked off to look at the other goods before leaving the shop.

There was so much more to see. She can't stumble here, just because her emotions might have been stimulated a little excessively. She was about to tear her gaze away from the shop, when a passing stranger left the shop. In their hands was a plastic bag carrying that very figure she admired. She doesn't have the ability to give anything the love it deserves. One day simply isn't enough.

She walked away, until a clothing shop caught her eye. 'Lev's fashion way', the sign lit up at the top of the entrance, almost blinding her. Walking closer, the glass double door opened on its own. It reminded her of the train she boarded, but this door... It didn't open due to routine, it was able to sense her presence. A small black contraption stuck out at the top of the door's frame like a sore thumb. Perhaps this was the sensor, it was a novel sight.

She wasn't an engineer of any sort, there was no meaning to thinking too hard about the mechanism inside. Rows upon rows of shirts lay in the centre of the enormously large hall, with the pants and other options placed at the peripherals outlining the walls. She chanced upon a loose white shirt, at the edge of its holes a second layer was woven, making it akin to a wool sweater. However it was quite thin and light, making it more suited to higher temperatures.

In the next rack over was a row of black clothes. Despite sharing the same colour, they all had varied designs, not to mention the same design would also come in multiple stocks of the multiple sizes available. Their surfaces were filled to the brim with white frills and embroidery, fluttering with every gentle movement. Should she try them out? For some reason, it felt inexplicably embarrassing walking outside in these... So she hesitated heavily. She still had some time, so she decided to explore further inside.

This store was meant to be the most extensive, spanning multiple floors and escalators, as well as boasting a wide floor plan. It was one of the largest buildings that naturally caught her eye. After browsing through this unique style, labeled as gothic by the sign hanging on the ceiling, she entered another section. How would she describe it? This time there was similarly a large array of clothes adorned meticulously with frills, laces and translucent designs, but they were no longer limited to being monochromatic.

Ashen? The hues contained were commonly desaturated versions of common colours like purple and green, to the point purple almost looks like pink if one looked long enough. Perhaps she'll try an outfit she finds from this side. Naturally there were many assistants around for her to approach.