NYLON - 5

Cody notices Lilian stop abruptly, her steps faltering as she stares into a shop window. Down the street, the sun hangs low, casting a warm orange glow that’s interrupted by pedestrians walking up and down. He turns to see what’s caught her attention—a dark blue jacket with sharp silver accents shimmering faintly in the fading light. Lilian blinks, caught between surprise and admiration.

“That jacket,” Ruby says softly, stepping closer. “The color suits your hair. You’d look incredible in it.”

Lilian spins toward her, a slow smile spreading. “You really think so?”

Before Ruby can answer, Cody cuts in, “Are we seriously stopping here? I thought we were just getting food.”

Ruby shrugs, totally unbothered. “Oh, we will. But let’s be honest—both of you look like you crawled out of a drainpipe. Most Sub-City folk do when they get here”

Cody nods, seeing her point. His eyes flick upward to the glowing sign overhead. ‘GALLERIA LUX’. Even from outside, it’s clear this place is something else—clean, quiet, and way nicer than the street they’re standing on. Compared to the crowds of people around him, there’s barely anyone inside. He looks to his left and right, and while the festivities have died down a bit compared to the extravagance of their first moments, the street is still alive with chatter and conversation.

“It’s one of the quieter stores in Nylon. More elegant.” Ruby leads them towards the door. At the entrance, a servoid holds out a scanner.

Ruby walks by, but when Cody follows, the servoid holds out an arm to stop him.

“Please present proper identification,” it says smoothly. Cody fumbles a bit but rolls back his sleeve to reveal his wrist. The servoid scans it and its eyes flash red.

“A minimum of Tier 3 access is required to enter this facility.”

Ruby, who turned back, looks at Cody curiously. “Tier 4? Huh. I figured you were Tier 3 with how ready you two were to buy things.”

“What’s the difference?” asks Cody.

“Tier 4’s just for looking—no purchases, no entry, no fun. Tier 3 gets you inside places like this. You can buy, explore, attend events. Tier 2? That’s where things get fancy—exclusive lounges, perks, personal servoids, all that good stuff.”

Cody nods and turns to Lilian. “So what do you think? Should we upgrade to Tier 3?”

“Honestly, we have the amulet . . . we could go all the way to Tier 2,” she whispers. Cody stops her right when she says it. 

He whispers back. “Lily. We spend on what we need.”

“But personal servoids . . .”

“Don’t forget this amulet isn’t ours. What if the Milanova’s notice us overspending?”

Lilian nods slowly, realizing the risks. “So we have to lay low . . .”

“Exactly.” He looks back to Ruby. “How do we upgrade?”

“Most storefront servoids can do it. Just ask this one. I’ll wait in the store,” she replies. Cody turns back to the entrance servoid, who still has its arm outstretched. He asks Lilian for the amulet and she gives it to him.

“I’d like to upgrade to Tier 3,” he says.

The servoid’s eyes blink once, then scan him again with a faint blue shimmer.

“Please present payment of 5,000 credits.”

Cody hesitates. Then he pulls Lilian over, who shows the amulet, holding it steady—just long enough for the servoid’s scanner to catch it. She keeps it low, not flaunting it.

“Alternative payment method detected. Verifying connection to Milanova account.”

A brief pause. The servoid goes still, as if calculating something far beyond Cody’s clearance. Then:

“Verified. Tier 3 access approved for Cody Stratton.” It lowers its arm with a smooth motion. “Would you like to include your companion?”

Cody glances at Lilian, who can barely contain her excitement. “Yes. Add her too.”

The servoid scans her wrist, then gives a polite bow. “Tier 3 access approved for Lilian Carter. Welcome to Galleria Lux.”

Ruby is already in the store as they step inside. “You two are full of surprises,” she says. “Most first-timers scrape and beg for every credit. But here you are—tier hopping like it’s nothing.”

The Galleria Lux glows—not with harsh neon or flickering emergency lights, but with sleek design and soft, deliberate light. The air smells faintly of lavender, some artificial mist wafting gently from hidden vents. The lighting is soft, casting no real shadows, producing warm atmosphere.

Above, massive holographic displays float lazily, showing fashion loops and slow-motion videos of flawless models blinking and posing.

Then he remembers something.

“Ruby.”

Lilian and Ruby, both ahead of him, stop and turn around.

“What is it, Cody?” Ruby looks at him curiously.

“Why didn’t you need to scan your wrist?”

“Hmm?”

“When we came in. That servoid stopped me and Lilian, scanned us, asked for payment. You just walked through like it didn’t exist.”

Ruby pauses for a moment, but then responds with a nod, “Let’s just say I’m pre-cleared. I come here often, after all.”

Cody nods, although he’s still not buying it entirely. He can’t shake the feeling that Ruby might be hiding something, but he’s not too worried about it—everyone has secrets. And most importantly, she’s helping them without asking for any sort of payment.

He examines the people walking around. They don’t look like shoppers. They look like exhibits—young, gleaming, layered in translucent fabrics or sharp techwear, striding as if they’re waiting for someone to snap their photo. Some walk in pairs; others trail personal servoids like pets.

A woman passes by, electric-blue feathers spiraling from her collar, her expression unreadable behind a pink visor. Everyone here belongs.

Except Cody.

Even Lilian is excited and bright, even if she’s not quite dressed the part. He adjusts the collar of his own jacket—a hand-me-down from Rylan. It’s seen better days: frayed edges, a stubborn stain on the left sleeve, faded patches where the fabric’s been patched more than once. It’s definitely not fitting of someone who’s trying to blend in with Nylon City’s flashiness.

“Listen, Cody. Once I’m up there in Nylon City, I’m going to have to wear all these flashy new clothes. You should have seen what they looked like up there. This jacket won’t cut it, so I’ll let you have it, alright?”

Cody feels his hands gripping on the collar of his jacket even tighter.

“If you have to lose part of yourself to come up here, then what’s the point?” he murmurs.

Lilian turns around. “Did you say something?”

“Oh. Nothing, I was just talking to myself.”

A servoid glides past, carrying crystal garment bags, its smooth hum barely audible under the ambient music. It offers Cody a polite nod as it passes. The gesture surprises him—he’s not used to anyone, much less servoids, treat him with such respect. He remembers the efficient and no-nonsense servoids from the trading post in the Sub-City. Such a world seems so foreign compared to where he is now.

Ruby and Lilian immediately find a store of their choice and get to fitting. Lilian in particular is very excited about trying on new clothes. Cody remembers her always being interested in changing up her style in the Sub-City, but there really weren’t that many options. As he watches her jump around like a little kid, he smiles. Even if he can’t fully trust Nylon City, he’s glad that it’s giving his best friend the time of her life.

“You have to be honest, okay?”

Lilian steps out of the fitting pod with both hands gripping the edges of her jacket—blue and silver, glinting in the store’s moody light. The sleeves shimmer when she moves.

“Well?” she asks, spinning on her heel. “Too much? Not enough? Be brutal.”

Ruby gasps like she’s witnessing a fashion revolution. “The blue looks radiant on you! Bold but approachable! If I were a Tier 2 party-goer, I would want to get to know you immediately.”

Cody leans back slightly on the curved bench, arms crossed. “It’s fine.”

“Fine?” Lilian echoes, wrinkling her nose. “That’s not helpful.”

“It fits. It works. You’ll blend in with all the other flashy Nylon City folk. That’s all we need.”

“Come on, just have a little fun, Cody. You know you’re going to be next, right?”

Ruby darts closer, circling Lilian like a stylist on a mission. “Not so fast, Lilian. We’re not done here yet. This is just the foundation of your style. If you layer it with something mesh or chromatic it will really play into your natural tone profile. You’ll really start to look like a true Tier 3.”

After more discussion and modeling, Lilian and Ruby return, both buzzing with excitement and carrying a handful of glittering accessories.

“What’s all this?”

“Accessories! You know, like hairpins, mood-glass bracelets, those little chains that go over your boots—” she lifts one that gleams like starlight, “—and this one shifts when you walk. Look!”

Cody stops her mid-twirl. “We’re only buying what we need. These aren’t our credits, Lily.”

“It’s not your credits?” Ruby asks, curious.

“Well, we’re borrowing it from our good friend,” Cody says quickly to cover up the mistake. Lilian looks up at him at that, probably wondering why he’s lying. He’s not too sure himself, but he decides to not fully trust Ruby yet. For now, she doesn’t need to know that the amulet was technically not given to them.

“Hm.” Ruby looks curious, but doesn’t press further.

Cody quickly continues before a silence stretches, “And most importantly, how are we going to carry all this? This isn’t like those garbage trips in the Sub-City where we can drop them all off for credits.”

Ruby offers, “We can hire servoids to carry bags for us.”

“Yeah, no. We’re only going with necessity.”

“Fine, Cody,” Lilian says with a sigh, setting down a bunch of items on the empty space next to him. “We’ll just buy stuff we can wear, but now it’s your turn. Ruby’s going to make you look like a casual Nylon-ite.”

“That’s not a real term, but what she said,” Ruby chips in.

Cody shrugs but keeps a firm grip on his collar. “I’m okay. I’ll keep my current clothes.”

Lilian frowns. “Come on, you said we have to blend in, right? Trust me, Ruby will make you look amazing. Just look at me!”

He looks up at Lilian. She’s wearing a blue jacket with glittering silver linings on top of loose fit jeans and sturdy-looking boots. To top off the entire look, a pair of silver sunglasses rest comfortably on her head. He has to admit—she truly looks like she belongs here.

“You look great, but I can’t lose the jacket.”

Ruby wonders, curious. “Why not?”

Cody’s voice drops a little, quieter but steady. “It’s Rylan’s. He gave it to me before... you know, before he left.”

Lilian’s smile falters for a moment, eyes softening. “Oh.”

Ruby’s eyes light up, already switching gears. “Okay, okay. That’s actually really cool. We can work with that. Maybe... a rustic vibe? Something that complements the worn-in look, but still says ‘I belong in Nylon City.’”

Lilian nods eagerly. “Maybe a scarf?”

Cody shrugs. “As long as the jacket stays.”

Cody isn’t nearly as picky as Lilian when it comes to clothes, so his part goes quick. They settle on a simple red scarf, light-colored pants, and a soft brown jacket that suits him more than he wants to admit.

The moment he touches the fabric, he pauses. It's nothing like the rough, scavenged clothes from Sub-City. It feels right. Like it was made for him. Every piece fits perfectly, like the material already knew the shape of his body. Even the shoes do something strange—his steps feel lighter.

They reach the checkout servoid—a sleek black panel hovering in midair, flickering gently as they approach. It pings softly, scanning the garments they carry. There’s another servoid in the back watching them, maybe to help if there is any needed. One by one, their selected pieces float up for display on the screen: Lilian’s silver jacket, Cody’s scarf and pants, the shoes.

“Total comes to 3250 credits,” the servoid chimes, its voice smooth and genderless. “Please scan payment method.”

Lilian reaches under her jacket and pulls out the amulet. It looks so simple in her hand—golden, with a lion engraving in the center—but the moment she taps it against the servoid’s scanner, it flashes.

“Alternative payment method detected. Verifying connection to Milanova account.”

The screen flares.

“Verified,” the servoid says. “Thank you for shopping at the Galleria Lux!”

Ruby, for the first time, looks genuinely surprised.

“Oh my,” she breathes. “I didn’t see you pay with it earlier. You should have told me you’re associated with the Milanovas. That’s—wow. That’s incredibly rare. Do you know what kind of access this could get you?”

Lilian glances down at it, unsure. “It... came into our possession recently.”

Ruby stares, still smiling, but there's a different weight behind her eyes now. Not suspicion. Interest. She repeats what she said earlier.

“Well. You two are full of surprises, aren’t you?”

Cody doesn’t respond. He just places a hand on Lilian’s shoulder and steers her gently away from the counter.

“Let’s go,” he whispers. “Before someone notices.”

As they walk back out into the street, with Ruby following just a step behind, the weight of the amulet presses heavier against Lilian’s chest.

Ruby’s walking ahead of them now. “You two must be starving. If you want, I’ll take you two to the nearest food district.”

They follow Ruby down the street—it’s a little darker now, and the lights are now a dim magenta, giving the city an ambient glow. Interestingly, the city is even louder here—voices, laughter, distant synths from some open-air club. A drone zips by overhead, trailing perfume mist.

Ruby pauses near a corner stall tucked into a side alley. Steam rises from it in curling plumes, tinted by LED lights that shift between orange and yellow. The smell hits immediately—sweet spices, something grilled, something melting and buttery. Just smelling it makes Cody’s stomach growl.

The vendor is a servoid with cybernetic arms and a grease-stained apron, cooking something over a grill. It spares them a quick glance, then returns to cooking.

“Two deluxe gliders,” Ruby says politely.

“That will be 400 credits.”

It gets to work, plating something that looks like a puffy wrap bursting with color. Thin-cut strips of sizzling protein, shredded vegetables, a translucent sauce that sparkles slightly in the light. It sets them in thin triangle-shaped containers.

Cody eyes the food suspiciously. Something about it feels strange. It looks too perfect. Like one of the illustrations he’ll find on the containers for food paste in the Sub-City. He never imagined those illustrations were actually real.

But Lilian doesn’t hesitate. She grabs one and takes a bite and freezes. She doesn’t chew and stands still, eyes wide and unblinking.

Cody stares at her. “Lily?”

Nothing.

His heart kicks into overdrive. “Lily!”

He grabs her arm and shakes her a little.

She finally exhales. Her knees almost give out. “Holy crap.”

“What?” Cody asks, eyeing the wrap. “Is it poisoned?”

Lilian turns to him slowly, like she just walked out of a dream. “Cody... it’s amazing.”

She tries to say more—but her voice cracks. Her lips tremble, and then suddenly, tears slip down her cheeks.

Cody stiffens. “Wait—are you okay?”

She nods quickly, wiping at her face, laughing through the tears. “Yeah—I just—sorry, I don’t know why I’m crying.”

It’s the second time she’s cried today, and Cody’s not sure if he should be glad or worried. At the very least, he’s happy that she’s happy. He glances over at Ruby. She’s not eating. Instead, she’s standing neatly to the side with her hands folded, smiling at them proudly.

She walks over and pats Lilian on the back, “I’m so glad you like it.”

“You’re not having one?” Cody asks.

“Oh—I’m not that hungry right now. I’ll just wait for you two.”

Cody shrugs, then turns to his own deluxe glider. He stares at it for a second—still warm, still releasing little puffs of steam that carry that sweet, smoky aroma. He gives it a tiny squeeze, half-expecting something synthetic to leak out. But no—it's just food. Real, actual food.

He takes a bite.

His whole brain short-circuits. He feels himself sink into his seat, his shoulders relaxing. His muscles, tensed up from an anxious suspicion of the city, start to finally release their tension. It’s like all the stress from their first day is melting away—dissolving into the night air, lighter with every breath.

“Wow this is . . . unbelievable.”

Lilian nods in agreement, still munching on her own glider.

Reveling in the moment, Cody looks up at that night sky. And sees the stars for the first time. They scatter across the sky, each one shimmering like it’s trying to be noticed. Look at me! No, me! they seem to shout, playful and proud. They even seem a little excited. Maybe they’re giggling to themselves after seeing Cody and Lilian’s reaction to the food.

And just off to the side—quiet, but unmistakable—the moon rests beside them, glowing with a soft, effortless elegance. It may not be as loud or thrilling as the day, but the night has its own kind of magic. Its own kind of beauty.

He want to mention it to Lilian, but she’s too busy furiously eating the deluxe glider, tears still flowing down her face. He’ll tell her later. Instead, he looks over at Ruby, standing there with a warm smile. He almost feels guilty for suspecting her of something nefarious. She’s only helped them today. She’s only be kind and supportive, and a good tour guide.

So why does it feel like something’s wrong?

“Ruby,” he suddenly asks, “How long have you been here in Nylon City again?”

She replies, “A few years. I don’t quite remember the exact number.”

“And you said you . . . work here?”

“Yes. I help welcome people.”

Lilian butts in, her mouth still full with food, “Why are you asking so many questions?”

Cody waves her off. “Just focus on finishing that glider, Lily.”

“It’s okay, Lilian. When a customer has questions, I try my best to give answers.”

“Okay. That’s where I have a problem,” Cody says, setting down the glider on the table. “How are we your customers? We haven’t paid you anything. It’s hard to believe you’d do this out of the kindness of your heart.”

Ruby looks at him, and they lock eyes for a moment before she averts her gaze.

“I... I’ve seen a lot of people come through Nylon,” Ruby says, her voice softer now. “Usually it’s adults from the Sub-City, looking for a second chance. But once, a while ago, there was someone different. Young, like you two. He was... bright. Talkative. He smiled even when things didn’t go his way. Said he wanted to see everything before making up his mind.”

She pauses, glancing away.

“He stopped showing up one day. I heard he found a better guide. Or maybe he made it on his own. Either way... he never came back. And I guess when I met you two, I saw a bit of him in you. That same energy. That same... hope.”

She forces a tiny laugh. “Sorry. That was silly. I didn’t mean to overshare.”

Cody doesn’t answer right away.

The food’s still warm in his hands, but his appetite has dulled. He just watches Ruby for a few seconds, his gaze flicking across her features—still smiling, still poised. But her eyes look tired.

And for some reason, that gets to him.

He leans back, letting out a small breath through his nose. “No, I'm sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. I’ve just been on edge lately. It’s hard not to be when everything feels too good to be true.”

“I understand,” she says gently. Cody sighs. He still has suspicions and misgivings, but right now, Cody doesn’t care. He glances over at Lilian again. Her face is messy with tears and crumbs and she’s got a stupid, radiant smile while she fights with the last bite of her glider.

He can’t ruin this moment for her. He’s not going to let his doubts hurt Lilian.

He closes his eyes for a second and takes a breath. Then looks back at Ruby and forces the biggest smile he can manage.

“Where to next?”