The sounds of children laughing and shouting felt like nails being driven through James's ears. Having spent his entire morning and the start of his afternoon at Nox Holdings, going through floor after floor of concepts, he was ready for bed. Yet, he still had a full day of activities ahead of him... with the next one starting in less than an hour. He was tempted to go straight to the Neophyte and wait for the interviews to begin, but a quick glance at his wrist steeled his resolve. Nox's words about his interface outing him as an E-Classer were his top priority. If he was going to avoid the looks of revulsion and wariness, he needed to blend in better. That thought alone was enough to make him feel conflicted. He didn't want to think of his identity as an E-Classer being a negative thing.

"Next, please."

James glanced up with a start, broken out of his reverie by the awaiting attendant. To say she looked bored would be an understatement. Her eyes barely acknowledged his approach, despite the fact that he was standing directly in front of her. Before he could even voice his request, her arm moved upward in what looked like an incredibly rehearsed manner, to show a nearby vending machine.

"Our self-purchasing stations are located over there. Should you wish to buy any of our display or catalogue items?"

Years of experience told him he was about to be dismissed, so James cut that path off immediately. He raised his wrist in front of the attendant's face and spoke matter-of-factly. "Your self-purchase stations don't recognise my interface. I need a new model. Can you help me, please?"

The girl blinked for a moment and her eyes came into focus, as though she had finally awoken from a year long stupor. She looked at James for what was probably for her the first time, and shook her head absentmindedly. "Yes. Just give me a moment, sir."

James was at a loss. He had revealed the inferior model of interface on his wrist... yet she had just referred to him as 'Sir'. Did she somehow recognise him as the Dread Pirate? If that were the case, she likely would have had a much more positive or energetic reaction. Was she just being polite? She had been ready to dismiss him a moment ago. James continued to ruminate over all the possibilities while the attendant lazily brought up a display on her counter. The older models listed had a physical casing that wrapped around the wrist, whilst the newer models were embedded into the skin. Some of them even came in variants that looked like tattoos.

"Apologies, Sir. I just need to scan your badge to apply your affiliate discount." James almost flinched out of reach as the attendant raised a device in her hand and aimed it at the pin on his chest that Hobbs had given to him. The formalities suddenly made sense to James, and he didn't know if it was down to his tiredness or the atmosphere of children having screaming contests, but he wasn't at his best. He idly wondered if he'd have time for a nap if he got to Billy's early.

"Perfect, Sir. That should be-" The attendant stared down at her device with wide eyes before they darted to James's wrist. Even in his addled state of mind, James could recognise that she just pieced together his identity. He was curious if she'd take the same approach as the receptionist in Nox Holdings, or if she'd draw attention to the fact that he was the Dread Pirate. Whatever he had expected of her, he was wrong.

A smile crossed her face as she tapped her own interface and gave him a wink. James saw that the numbers on each of the interfaces went down even further.

"Staff discount, for friends and family..." the attendant said quietly with a wink. Her entire demeanour had changed over the course of a few seconds, with the biggest change being how helpful she had become. "If you're upgrading from that, literally anything we have on offer is likely going to blow you away. The later models on this side of the display are mostly vanity items with little to no technical advancement in the mid-range." James alternated between watching her face and her hand as she explained the different options. His own research had been pitiful in comparison, so he was grateful for the advice. "Whilst this one here can handle all of your needs, it's typically seen as a Sub-C. If you want people guessing about your class, you'd likely go for one of these, which is a little more expensive but would put you between Sub-B and Sub-A. Anything beyond those is a waste of your money."

James looked between the models she had suggested and couldn't really see much of a difference. He was going to have to take her word for it. When he looked up, he saw her smiling reassuringly at him.

"Don't worry, it's a painless procedure that we're able to do here and now. The embedding is with a localised anaesthetic, so you won't feel a thing. Once you find the model you're happiest with, we can select an interface package that you're happiest with. Oh, and... all purchases come with a three month Abidden Platinum Pass, not that you'll need it."

Nodding his head, James proceeded with the one she suggested for him. Much to his surprise, though, she faltered for a moment before giving him a sideways glance. "Is there any chance I could get a picture with you?" The question caught James off-guard, and he declined politely. "Sorry, I don't think I'd want the world to see what I look like just yet." Just for effect, he pulled at the ill-fitting clothing that had served him so well just a few short weeks ago. What he hadn't expected was a counter.

"Oh, then it should be fine. The picture is just for me, not for anyone else to see."

James couldn't help but laugh at the situation. He presented his wrist and gestured at it with his other hand. "Let's see how well you do with this, and then we can negotiate the picture. Deal?"

"Deal."

James nearly bumped into several people on his walk down the street. He couldn't help but admire the tiny teardrop sized interface that was now embedded into his wrist. His first interaction with the interface was a copy of his receipt from the store, accompanied by an attachment of the bartered picture. The girl's slight frame next to his body made James realise that the nutrient packs were doing incredible work on his physique. He was no longer gaunt and there was the beginning of some muscle definition that was comically visible through his tight fitting shirt. With a glance up from his wrist to make sure that he didn't collide with anyone, James noticed a few lingering looks that were aimed at his body. He had never really been the self-conscious sort, but the looks discomforted him.

Sighing to himself, he resigned himself to getting a ride to the Neophyte Bar. With the time saved, he'd be able to do some last-minute shopping for something more comfortable. The irony wasn't lost on him that he was now throwing credits around like they were nothing. His big goal to lift the E-Classers and show the world what they could do had somehow taken a backseat to him having a nice shirt to wear. He was still in the single digit Districts, somewhere between District 3 and District 4, so there were many high-end fashion boutiques just waiting for him to enter. The first one he stepped into felt like he walked into a wolf's den, where he was the prey. Glamorous assistants floated towards him with smiles painted on their faces. One of them looked like she was about to flank him, her arms outstretched and aimed for his jacket. James barely managed three steps into the building before turning on his heel and bolting out the door.

The second and third options were just as bad, so James practically jogged towards the higher digit Districts. A quick glance at the interface told him he still had time to make it to the Neophyte Bar, but that he had definitely sacrificed any chance of getting a nap. Towering walls, littered with a series of security gates, came into view, showing James that he was about to pass into District 6. As always, he slowed his jog to a respectful walk as he passed through the sensors. It had been years since the Districts enforced any sort of travel restrictions, but the security remained. James had long abandoned any anxiety of being attacked by a drone or spear tackled by a security officer, but he hadn't broken his habit of walking through the gates. There were countless stories of E-Classers running through the gates and getting apprehended, usually for good reason, though.

Minutes later, James entered a department store and found a much more welcoming vibe. There were no vultures with their full attention on him, instead, he was just another customer that was left to fend for himself. He absentmindedly moved towards the gaming section of the store, his eyes taking in all the merchandise from Abidden's competitors. A life-sized model of an otter reminded him that 'Otter Chaos' was still popular, but most of the spaces were dedicated to the hardcore player versus player games. Abidden had an eclectic fanbase, with many people watching for the drama or the raids. Few watched it for the combat or sense of competition.

"Hello, Sir. Can I help you find what you're looking for?" A friendly sing-song voice echoed from behind James. He turned around to see a portly man wearing an apron, the logo of the store adorned on the front of it. James was originally going to decline, but the time pressure made him reluctantly accept the stranger's help. "Looking for new clothes, and found myself here..." James finished lamely, realising how stupid it sounded. Much to his surprise, the man just laughed as he ushered for James to follow him.

"The apparel section is over here. You'll find all sorts of cool stuff! Are we thinking of cosplaying? Or are you looking for more everyday kinda clothes?" The friendly questions were coming in like rapid-fire, with James barely able to keep up. James listed his few basic requirements, and the man set off like he was possessed.

"I hope you don't mind me saying so, but you definitely don't seem like a Kill-Shot fan. Personally, I'm all about Otter Chaos, but I know that's not everyone's cup of coffee! Don't worry, I'm not going to dress you up like an Otter! We have some old Abidden stock, but nothing new. You would not believe the amount of requests we have for that damn Dread Pirate coat." The portly man laughed as he seemed to push and propel himself off racks of clothing dotted around the store. Some of the clothing was neutral, with just a logo on a t-shirt or on pants... but then there were others like the full tactical gear from Kill-Shot. When James passed the giant Otter heads, a smile crossed his face at the sight of them. Suddenly the aproned man stopped and stretched his arms out like a proud father presenting his child.

"Here it is! The best game-themed clothing you're likely going to find is from Artifice. Everything is so focused on crafting in that game that the outfits are usually stunning yet practical. Oh, and you can totally mix and match." As if to further showcase his affection for the products, he cradled one sleeve of a themed coat. James couldn't help but agree with him. The outfits looked great. Rather than looking comical to the outside world, they'd just look that bit eccentric. James picked out a few items that looked interesting to him, whilst his aproned shadow gave noises of approval every now and again.

"Fabulous choice with that one. I'm getting a broody vibe. Is that what you're going for? Long coats are definitely coming back in. You don't need to be terrified of colour by the way, you can throw In splashes here and there!" His last plea for colour was promptly ignored as James admired the black and white ensemble.

"Okay, suit yourself. Broody enigma it is! Just a final warning for you, if you bump into any die-hard Artifice fans or players... you should know that your outfit is typically worn by villains. That's the mob-boss coat, peasant shirt, gangster pants and gangster shoes. Though, I wouldn't let that be a deterrent. Villains are hot right now!"

James couldn't help but laugh at the narration of his wardrobe choices. He had picked out everything in record time. It was only when he got to the checkout desk that he paused. There were the usual little trinkets and merchandise aimed to appeal while you waited your turn, but one of them caught James's eye.

"Ah, are you a fellow Gigatech Alumni? Those holo-journals have full audio support, by the way. It's really interesting to hear the scouting reports of the Pros from before they were famous. Most of them are just from the lecturers at Gigatech, but I've listened to a good portion of it, and I'd highly recommend it!" The aproned man picked up one pack and held it aloft over the rest of James's purchases, asking him silently if he'd like it to be added to the order.

James remained deep in thought for a few more moments before he glanced back up at his cashier. "I'll take it, and any other versions you have. If they're from the other universities, or even the ones from other years. All of them."

The aproned man grinned from ear to ear as he shuffled around the desk and started shuffling through the display cases. "Your credit balance is going to cry."