Chapter 8: Never go shopping with Ana.

About five minutes later we get to the front of the counter. Since we were in the 3rd floor we are almost the last ones for the token reassignment. In the counter there is a familiar face, it’s the female assistant who helped us with the registration.

“Hello again sweetie! How may I help you?” The female assistant says with a wide smile towards Ana. It seems that for some reason she remembers her.

“We wish to get the 3rd round token!” Ana takes the initiative and without setting free my arm, she grabs the token from the left pocket of my jacket and shows it to the assistant.

“You… you actually classified?” A shocked expression flashes in the face of the assistant.

To classify to the 3rd round means that we are in the best 64 out of 635 participants. We only brought 2 pieces of supportive gear instead of the recommended 4 and we are not using an AI. So I could understand why she was a bit shocked

The records of the participants in the amateur category before the start of the tournament stated that around 500 of them had registered 4 pieces plus a custom AI each, no exceptions. Only 13 people registered 2 pieces, the rest had 3 pieces. It was something natural, after all, all the contestants have in their homes VRDs with custom pieces they are accustomed to use and even if they are not top grade sometimes is better to use what you know to use instead of trying to adapt to something new.

Building a VRD is a lot different than building a PC just because it requires nerve interaction. A PC for a gamer is his tool, is like a hammer for a blacksmith, a chisel for a sculptor, a set of brushes for a painter. If you spent a lot of time with your PC, like 4-8 hours daily during 1 year, and then try to use a different one the feeling sometimes will impact your performance. The mouse will have a different feeling, the size and shape of the screen will not be exactly the same you use to see every day, the speed of the game will run smoother or maybe slower, the keys on the keyboard will be softer of harder.

If a change on a PC can impact your performance slightly, saying that this changes in a VRDs that are specialized for gaming are magnified by a thousand fold is not an exaggeration. For the sake of balance in the games, the characters must have some sort of limitations and upgrades when compared to the real player, thus to minimize performance changes and let the player be in a friendlier environment the rule of the 4 pieces was created for the amateur category while the Pro category players has to adjust to the tournament gear without custom pieces.

As an example, the base speed of a character inside Shooting Range is 20 m/s, almost double of a regular professional athlete. In a PC you only need to press a key in order to command your character to go at top speed, while in a VR game you have to actually imagine yourself running and taking one step after another to go to that speed, that’s why personal supportive gear is so important. Leg sensors help your intuitive movements become easily transmitted to the Virtual Reality and the AI acts as a filter to overcome the sensations you brain cannot decipher and help you achieve that speed, because even though you can easily visualize yourself running at 20 m/s, is not easy for the rest of the body to comprehend this sensations.

In other words, using a 500 dollars sensor you tuned is better that using a 10.000 dollars sensor you have never experienced before. Higher price means that the sensor transmission speed is higher, but at the same time means that you need to deal with a higher load of sensations. If those extra sensations overwhelm your brain your concentration will drop and your performance will drop too.

Playing with only 2 custom pieces is already playing at a disadvantage compared to the average player. However, if the assistant woman hears that the optic link and the motion gloves are brand new and it only took 15 minutes to Marcus for fully adapting them, most likely she will call Marcus a monster.

Marcus isn’t the best gamer, his intelligence is above average but far from being a genius like Ana, but his adaptability is really incomprehensible. Virtual Reality Studies students often has higher adaptability to different kinds of medical and gaming gear because they have to manipulate all sorts of VR Gear, even then, Marcus capacity can’t be measured with logic.

“Hump, could it be that you thought we were bad?” Ana immediately associates the surprise in the assistant’s face with looking down to us.

“Oh sorry, I didn’t mean that! I’m just surprised! You are the only one who classified with no AI and with the least gear.” The assistant woman says hurriedly.

“Hump.” Ana coldly snorts. She tries to act angry but she is smiling. She seems very happy.

“Enough Ana.” I laugh seeing Ana’s poor acting skills.

The assistant picks up the token Ana gives her and extracts a microchip from it with a tiny tool. After that, she inserts that microchip in another token marked with the number 53 and extends it towards Ana. Ana receives the new token with a happy smile and pulls me in order to leave. Before we went too far the assistant stands up and raises her voice, “Hey guys, will you tell me which your ID is? I will cheer for you!”

“Kortef, Silver Battle Droid.” Ana turns partially her head and winks at the assistant.

We walk to the right wing of the shopping center where most of the cloth stores are. There is a 45 minutes recess until the start of the third round. I try from time to time to free my arm from Ana’s grip, but she is literally glued to me. ‘So annoying.’ I sigh mentally.

“Hey Marcus, do you think you can win?” Ana asks me while walking.

“Hard to say,” I scratch my head with my free hand, “I may have bad luck and have a difficult opponent in the next round, but if I get to the fourth round I may have a chance.”

“Difficult opponent? Like who?” Ana sounds curious.

“There are some configurations that are very good against Battle Droids,” I shake my head. “Let’s hope we don’t find anything like that.” I clench my fist and make a resolute expression.

“Hehe, at least your expression changed a little.” Ana smiles while seeing my expression.

“What do you mean?” I am puzzled by Ana’s words.

“You had a gloomy look when talking about your past but right now you smiled naturally.” Ana says still smiling.

“Sigh. I can help it. I really love the sensation of diving into a virtual reality as another character but…” My face become gloomy suddenly, “That’s a luxury I can’t afford. I need to focus in my future, playing is not an option.”

“If you enjoy today at least that’s enough for me, no need to put that face again.” Ana pulls my arm closer to her chest.

“Hey… HEY, you are too close! Let me walk!” My face blushes.

I go to the bathroom to wash my face while Ana went into a simple cloth store to buy a new shirt. She quickly finds a suitable shirt for me. It is a 15 dollar shirt similar to the one I am wearing.

I store the blood stained shirt in a paper bag and wear immediately the new one, the feeling of a new shirt is always quite nice even if it’s a cheap one.

Ana pays with some cash she has in a tiny purse hidden in her breast pocket.

‘Cellphone, a handkerchief, and now a purse? Just how big is THAT place.’ I am wondering about the mysteries of woman’s unique pocket.

“How shameless.” Ana says in a mysterious tone.

“What are you talking about?” I glare at Ana. She is obviously pretending to be angry.

“You let a woman pay for your clothes.” Ana stick out her tongue mockingly at me.

‘It was your fault that my shirt is stained!’ I remembered for a moment the scene that caused my nose to bleed. Putting aside in my mind that scene, I still feel grateful towards Ana, so I decide to reply her kindly for the first time since we encountered. “Don’t worry, I’ll buy you some clothes too.”

“For real?” The eyes of Ana widen behind her round glasses.

“Of course.” I try to boast a little. “If I win some money in the tournament there’s no way I will not treat you something nice.” In my mind, expending 100 dollars in a dress for Ana is totally worth it, after all she spent much more just to let me participate in the tournament.

“Yay, I love you.” Ana gives me a bear hug and starts to madly kissing me in the cheeks.

“Hey stop! Stop!” I am quite embarrassed, there’s people around us! Wait, even if we were alone it’s just not right!

“Can we go check some stores? Pleeease?” Ana says while blinking her eyes like a puppy.

“Why now? We can do it later.” I reply.

“Come on, it’s the first time you say something nice in the last 5 years, I want to enjoy the moment! Please!” Ana is acting like a spoiled girl.

“5 years? But I left home a little more than 3 years ago.” I say with a puzzled face.

Ana glares at me. Indeed, when I was 13 years old I was not nice at all with Ana because I felt annoyed by her. Obviously I don’t remember that.

“Fine, fine.” I glance all the stores in the vicinity and choose one at random that seems to be specialized in woman’s clothes. “Let’s go to that one then.”

‘Wow, Marcus seems to have good taste.’ Ana thinks to herself and her happiness is evident. She is humming a tune while walking alongside me, now holding just my hand.

We walk inside the clothe store and suddenly some pleasant aromas invaded our senses. There are a lot of women inside the store, either clients or attendants, you can count at least 30. The store is not very big so it seems a bit crowded but still the attendants are able to manage the clients without complaints from them; the store has an air of refinement and the clients are wearing luxurious jewels and purses, it was, after all, a high class boutique.

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Of course I have no idea what a boutique exactly was. When I was a kid I went shopping with my mother several times and she often visited boutiques like this, so for me a boutique was simply a woman’s clothes store. I really have no idea how much my mother spent in a shopping spree.

“May I help you?” A charming attendant dressed in pink clothes greets us.

“Yes, I would like to try out a cocktail dress for me.” Ana says with her charming tone.

“A cocktail dress?” The attendant seems quite experienced and ponders a bit, “You seem to have a nice body and just the right height, do you mind if I measure your body?”

“No, of course not.” Ana says shyly to the attendant.

“What about the color? We happen to have…” The attendant takes Ana and starts to show her some dresses while walking away from me. I don’t bother with following Ana and the attendant. Looking at various dresses, blouses, and skirts are things that men will never enjoy, unless… you are a man with secret hobbies.

I quickly find what appeared to be a waiting zone. There are some odd shaped cushions that aren’t very comfortable to sit, but my only options are to sit there or wait standing up. Although I am the only man in the shop it is as if I don’t exist at all, I am being completely ignored even by the attendants!

With nothing else to do than to wait, I sit in one of those odd shaped cushions and glance around the shop. I soon discover that Ana was entering a dresser with a red dress in her hands so I straighten my posture trying to be comfortable and wait there patiently.

“Marcus!” After 5 minutes Ana is done changing and calls me to ask for my opinion.

I am with my back towards the dresser room to not disturb the women in there, so I naturally have to turn my head to look at Ana. Just as I saw her my mouth unwillingly opened wide.

Ana is wearing a stunning red dress. If I haven’t seen Ana before with a casual outfit I would have mistaken the Ana in front of me for a model. The dress is just one piece: it is backless, has a V neck shape, it extends until her toes but has an opening on the left leg that reveals her smooth with skin, and has some golden embroidery that gives the dress and air of elegance.

“*Chuckle* Do you like it?” Ana really doesn’t need to ask me. By seeing my expression it is evident what would be my answer. She wants either to tease me or to know my honest opinion.

“Well…” I scratch my head as usual when I feel a bit nervous, “I have to admit that you look absolutely beautiful.” I am so bewitched that I say something I would not say normally. Not even in my wildest dream I would have guessed that the 14 years old almost flat chested Ana would transform into a top model the next time I meet her.

Ana blushes after hearing my answer. She makes some poses and the attendant helps her fixing some minor details. I draw near and couldn’t wake up from the bewitchment in which I am.

“If you happen to have a pair of red heels it will be perfect with this dress.” Says the attendant while praising Ana.

“I have a pair, but I don’t think they match with this dress.” Ana answers while looking at her feet imagining the red heels she has in her house.

“Oh my…” The attendant pauses a moment and looks at Ana, then looks at me, and then turns towards the counter, “Stephie, could you bring the red heels that are on display? Let’s see if this girl is lucky enough.”

“Wait… but…” Ana turns towards me knowing that I only promised a dress.

“Sigh.” I stop scratching my head, “Don’t worry, it’ll be my treat too.” I say casually.

Hearing those words from me in that casual tone, the eyes of the attendant seemed to be full of surprise and complacency for a brief moment. She nods as if in approval and a pleasant smile is now in her face. Ana is timidly fidgeting not knowing how to thank me.

The attendant named Stephie brings the red heels that were on a mannequin and gives them to Ana. Since Ana had to remove her boots and her black and withe stripped socks in order to try out the dress she is bare feet right now. However the dressers’ floor are covered in a fluffy carpet for the client’s feet to remain clean. The first attendant helps Ana with the heels and as if heaven is helping Ana the heels are her exact size.

Ana is beyond happy, not only the red dress is beautiful, the heels are the perfect match. I couldn’t help but smile seeing Ana happiness. After admiring her for a bit more, I tell Ana to change back to return to Gamer’s Corner for the third round of the tournament.

The attendant heard us talking about the tournament and she smiles, after all, it was not wrong to say that only rich people participates in an amateur VR tournament.

“You told that you were participating in the tournament held in Gamer’s Corner and you wanted to buy the dress and heels later, right?” The attendant says with a sweet smile to me, while Ana is in the dresser.

“Yes, that’s right.” I reply, “Maybe it will finish a little bit late so we will return tomorrow.”

“Oh, if that’s the case then let me suggest you to reserve this dress under your name, that way it will not be on display anymore and you can rest assured it will not be bought by another person.” The attendant winks at me and says in a soft tone.

Hearing up to this I frown. ‘Reserving a dress?’ This is not a service that normal clothes stores would offer.

“And…” The attendant is thinking of me as a rich kid. Seeing that I have a jacket of Tidem University nobody could blame her that she is seeing me as a potential VIP costumer, “Normally you will need to pay a 10% in advance for this service, but not only I will set aside the 10% this time, I will offer a 15% discount since that dress has quite a history.” The attendant still has that sweet smile while saying this.

Hearing the word discount I relax and become happy because I saved money without having to say a word! “Well, that would be nice, just tell me what to do.”

“We just need your basic information, don’t worry.” The attendant let out a soft laugh and then leads me towards the counter. “Stephie, please help me pack the dress and heels of girl on the 2nd dresser in reserve boxes.”

“Sure.” Stephie smiles sweetly and goes to receive the dress and heels from Ana. That smile… Is there some kind of smiling training?

I quickly fill my information before quickly reading the contract thing. It is very simple and there are no drawbacks as the attendant say so I proceed to sign a reserve form while Ana comes from the dresser with Stephie carrying two boxes. There is some information regarding the items inside the boxes on the cover.

I haven’t check the prices up until now and I am a bit curious. Proceeding to check both boxes, I almost had a heart attack.

Mussel Silk red dress.

Designer: Abrianna Fergucy.

Size: Unique.

Price: 2.400 dollars

Semi-aniline leather red heels.

Designer: Abrianna Fergucy.

Size: Unique.

Price: 600 dollars.

Abrianna Fergucy is one of the most renowned designers in the fashion world. In fact, the boutique’s name is Fergucy’s Studio and Boutique, one of the top 5 famous boutiques in the whole world, and while this is only a small branch shop, the fact that it has Fergucy’s name and some of her designs is enough for it to be a fairly popular store.

The red dress indeed has quite a history. It was a request by a famous actress for an award ceremony which Abrianna happily accepted. After completing the dress the actress increased one size and the dress was very tight. Abrianna offered to fix it but the actress was so infuriated that she declined, after a while, Abrianna decided just to sell it.

Ana happens to have the exact same sizes that the actress had when she asked Abrianna to make the dress for her. The heels are made from an exotic leather and designed by Abrianna to match the dress, that’s the reason for the relatively high price.

I do my best to not show that I am scared, but my hands start to sweat coldly. I already gave my information, received the VIP card which gave him the 15% discount, and even told Ana that it would be me treat. Forget even the first 2 things, the real problem is that I really wanted to treat Ana something after three years, backing down now was impossible.

‘2.550 dollars for a dress and a pair of heels? What is this bullshit?’ My mind is in a state of chaos but still I smile to the attendant and Ana happily nests in my arms again.

‘I will definitely not go shopping with Ana again!’ It’s not that I don’t want to give her something, but as a man, checking the prices in front of a woman before buying is a blow to the pride. Yes, I shouldn’t care for the pride when I’m low on money, but my pride is what has driven me to where I am today!

I will never forget today’s events...

... Nor the price of that dress and those heels.

END OF CHAPTER 8