“Party for the top 3 is tonight!” Lucia exclaimed as they walked in downtown Los Angeles. “And ladies, we are going to look dazzling!”

“It’s just a small party,” Eniola said, quietly trying to contain the excitement clearly bouncing off of Lucia for this party, and maybe Eniola if she showed it, the nervousness mixed with excitement coursing through her body in an electric feeling.

“In our honour!” Iris excitedly finished. “We’ve never celebrated this before!”

She had a point. It was so surreal that they were being celebrated. The top 3 always did a celebration before the finalists the night before the finals, as a little get-together. They never went to parties like that.

Eniola didn’t know where they were going, but Lucia claimed she was in control. It was nice hanging out and not having to worry about Paradox, but the fear still resided in her and pooled at her stomach at the mention. She quickly called it away. They walked through the crowds in the middle of the day, the bright sun shining down onto the district, swarming like holographic ads in the shopping districts. crowds while the holographic ads placed brighter than ever in the shopping district. The boys were doing their own thing, and Eniola just knew it was sitting around and putting on a t-shirt at the very end.

“Do we even need outfits?” Eniola said.

“This is a party they’re throwing for us,” Lucia said. “I’m not about to go in there looking mediocre. We need to stand out. And I know just the place to do it!”

They walked some more down a street, a blissful and soulful sound came blaring from the corner of the street. A street musician was learning music from his electric saxophone, and Eniola quickly walked up to him before scanning out a few dollars of his payment pad. He smiled at her and she smiled back. You rarely saw things like that today.

They eventually got to a huge cubic building nestled in what looked like a more expensive district, which made Eniola frown. Why was Lucia taking them here? The building had a huge holographic purple sign displaying its aesthetic logo in the front. The walls transitioned between wavy ripples of pixels, their logo, and then a promotion they seemed to have. Two holographic models on platforms on each end of the store transitioned between high-end clothing that did not look cheap. The door slid open, soon, and it immersed them in the fashion world.

The store was one huge open section with a ceiling that imitated waves in white milky waves, before Eniola’s eyes took centre place at the store, in which a black balcony was hanging in the air, connecting to an escalator. Glowing tubes attached from the ceiling to the smooth black floors, which displayed their glittering and sleek high fashion. One huge ceiling light, shaped like a UFO, hung from the sky, displaying glowing lights. The most expensive clothes were all held in glass boxes and turned automatically so everyone could see them. Eniola noticed a lack of androids and raised an eyebrow.

It looked too expensive for Eniola to even be breathing here.

“Lucia!” a voice cooed at them through all the action. A skinny woman with tan skin speed-walked to them from the other side of the room, before wrapping Lucia into a hug.

“Elena!” Lucia exclaimed back before they pulled away and smiled at each other. Eniola stared at her and wondered who she was.

“How’s my favourite prima doing?” Lucia asked. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.”

“I know,” she agreed. “As soon as you called, I knew we had to step in.” As Eniola looked, she noticed she was beautiful. Like really beautiful. Even calling her beautiful was an understatement. She had long brown hair that flowed down her back and hung at her waist. Her eyes were a super light amber colour, and her skin was perfectly tan and clear of any blemish. She was super tall and thin and had a perfectly white smile. She looked like she could’ve even been a model instead of a simple employee. Eniola looked long enough and swore if she wasn’t straight, Elena would be more than a pretty girl.

Eniola raised her eyebrows at the weird thought, then shrugged her shoulders.

Lucia and Elena exchanged some words in Spanish, which neither Eniola nor Iris understood. Maybe Iris, since she could translate stuff from her interface.

“You must be Eniola,” Elena said, snapping Eniola out of her thoughts, making her focus long and hard on Elena. “Lucia has talked a lot about you.”

“Yeah,” she said, maintaining some good eye contact. “We’re tight.”

“Great, so Lucia has called me here because I hear that you guys have a party tonight,” Elena explained. “And I happen to be a stylist at this store in Los Angeles, so obviously I had to step in.”

“Stylist?” Iris questioned. “Isn’t it a lot of money for those?”

“I give family discounts, and Lucia is family,” she chirped. “Follow me,” she said, pulling them through the hybrid crowd of androids, though the high-profile shoppers Eniola diverted her gaze nervously. They then came to the back and followed her down a sleek glowing hallway that made it look kind of otherworldly. They emerged into what looked like a smaller version of the main shop, minus the escalators. This time there were bright glowing rooms in the back and holographic screen beside it, and many workers with customers. As they went, Lucia and Elena kept up a rapid conversation in Spanish.

“We’re in a Styling Area now,” Elena mentioned. “What do you guys have in mind?”

“Something fun,” Iris said. “I don’t know, I kind of want to make everyone look at me.”

“Really?” Eniola said teasingly. “What happened to our humble Iris?”

“She’s still here, of course,” Iris teased back. “But she just wants to look more expensive.”

“Anyway, I want something functional,” Eniola said. “I don’t see blowing money on something I’ll probably wear once.”

Elena laughed immediately like Eniola was simply joking. Eniola immediately fought the urge to cover her ears, instead of raising her eyebrows at the loud laugh that escaped Elena that sounded like a goose and an air horn at once.

Eniola felt something fill her mind. “Why do most humans work here?” After androids were revealed some 30 years ago and the AI Revolution happened, corporations and businesses had a field day, because they didn’t have to pay androids. Sucked for the service workers, though.

“Here at Magenta, we rely on human intelligence to help you get fitted so that you can be your best,” she recited like she was reading from a script. “Androids still run the tills and do all the easy labour. It’s a fatter paycheck for me.” She laughed the same honking laugh again and Eniola slightly grimaced. Now she hoped Elena wasn’t the type to find everything funny.

People all around them began staring at her intently with a hint of annoyance, before turning back, eyes still lingering on her. Then a customer tugged at her. “I’ll be right back,” she said and left them for a while.

“What do I want?” Eniola whispered to herself, looking at the clothes like she could afford any of them.

“Probably something blue,” Lucia randomly suggested out of the blue. No pun intended.

“Why?”

“Because that’s Jay’s favourite colour,” Lucia gushed, and Eniola rolled her eyes. “Thought you might want to know.”

“I’m not going to throw myself at him,” Eniola huffed. “And I don’t spend every waking moment trying to get his attention.” Eniola huffed and got back to select. She swiped on the store-issued holo-screens and searched for anything she might like, reluctantly keeping a mental note for blue now that Lucia had inserted it into her brain.

“Who’s Jay?” she heard Elena’s voice creep upon them. Eniola turned around, and Elena was grinning, itching to know more.

“Just our teammate,” Eniola quickly said. “He plays Rogue with us. Nothing more than a teammate.”

“Y novio potencial,” Lucia hinted in Spanish, and Elena giggled. “I hope so soon.”

Elena reached over Eniola, letting Eniola inhale a sweet lemony scent, toggled at her screens, and the whole thing filled with different shades of blue before stepping in. Her eyes switched from it to Eniola. “Blue would suit you. It complements your dark skin.”

“Thanks!” Eniola said, putting her head down, flustered at the compliment. “What should I wear?”

Elena studied her. “Put your hands on your hips.”

“What?”

“Just do it,” Elena instructed, and Eniola put her hands on her hips and slightly posed, giving a half-crooked smile.

“Hmm,” she analyzed, putting her fingers to her chin. “You are quite determined and have clear goals in mind, but you lack a certain motivation and boost to get there fully.”

Eniola’s jaw unhinged at the brash honestly, but also how well Elena could tell. She squinted at her eyes, trying to find some hidden machinery to prove she was an android. Elena smirked. “How could you tell?”

“Oh, honey,” Elena began. “Your stance tells me everything. But, I know certain looks that could go well with you.” She toggled with her screen, and Eniola saw her choose certain articles of clothing.

“Iris,” Elena said. “Do the same.” Iris put both hands on her hips.

“You are happy-go-lucky all the time and are a source of motivation for others, but you lack some of that happiness yourself,” Elena analyzed. “Take some time to care for yourself.”

“Oh,” Iris whispered. “That’s deep.”

“Go inside the change room,” Elena signalled Eniola to the back of the room before she opened the door. Instead of a room, it was a clear two-way orb. Suddenly, it slid open from the bottom, revealing a vast room already stocked with various blue items. That was a very dramatic entrance. It felt more like a spaceship changing room. Then Eniola wanted to turn back and tell Elena blue wasn’t the only colour she was into, but the door was already closed. She turned back and sighed. She might as well do it.

Eniola began wearing all the outfits given to her, and walking out, all of them being met with yay or nay. She tried on everything from ruffles and silks to dresses and jeans, all with a blue element that would pop. Nothing worked for Eniola. It didn’t fit right, or it looked awkward on her skinny body.

“These outfits don’t speak to me,” Eniola complained, just when Iris had found something. She was in an off-shoulder yellow top and ripped blue jeans. It looked sunny on her and accented her cyborg features well.

“I love it!” she gushed. She then looked to Eniola, “I’m sure you’ll find something!”

“Try one more,” Elena said with a hopeful glint in her voice. “Please?”

“Fine,” she grumbled, stepping into the closet once more. She took out the clothes that travelled to her from a linking station into the change room. It was a blue tube top strapped onto a and some flowy black pants. She took it out from the closet and put it on.

Eniola was almost baffled by how she looked when it was done. It wasn’t awkward looking; it flattered her. The shirt was a bit revealing, but considering she was lacking in the chest area, nothing was a huge risk. She spun around like it was a dress before admiring herself again, a smile forming on the lips. She liked this one. Eniola stepped out of the closet, where oohs and ahs were coming at her, from Lucia and Iris. Elena looked impressed at her work, too.

“I think this is the one,” Eniola said, spinning around like it was a wedding dress. “I like this.”

“Then it’s settled,” Lucia said. “We are going to have a fun time at the party!”