[spolier]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_tkin6PVmY[/spoiler:lit] - HEART ON SLEEVE
In a blink of the eye, you're no longer in the alleyway. You're now inside what appears to be some sort of clothing store. You're currently at the front entrance. There's a checkout counter a few feet away from you that's only being staffed by an old mannequin.
Hazes of gold and red paints and decorations (such as banners and bells) decorate the walls and floor of the shop, as if it was trying its best to seem high class. Even the lights in the store itself is tinted with a mixture of red and golden hues, tinting the environment in a, for a lack of a better word, sensual haze
A maze of circular and regular clothing racks, with piles on piles of high class fashion outfits hanging off them, flood the store. That leaves only a single clean path forward. Well, two technically, but the counter doesn't catch any interest from you or Benjamin. While you can make out dressing booths along the walls of the store you're in, the sheer number of racks you have to go through makes getting to them unfeasible.
"Where the actual fuck are we?" Ashley instantly goes onto high alert. "We were JUST in an alleyway not even two seconds ago! Are we in some sort of trap? Do we gotta fight our way out?"
"Uh, I don't think we can. Not yet." Adam points behind you. Your group turns around to see what he's gesturing to. There's two massive windows and a mostly glass door at the entrance you five are standing out, showing you what's outside of the store. The scenery is rather surreal, to be blunt. Dozens of red and gold painted mannequins in various outfits are standing completely still outside.
The street stretches on for seemingly forever in both directions and the buildings have remarkably generic names, logos, and designs. Every fast food place is labeled "FOOD", every grocery store is labeled "GROCERY", etc etc. The only one that seems to have a logo with any effort is the one you're in. There's a sign right outside of the shop you're in. In flowing, cursive font with speckles of white and blue, you make out:
<span class="mu-s">NOUVEAU TOI</span>
<span class="mu-b">La mode de vous, pour vous!</span>
"I have no idea what that means. Seems like District 3's dialect, though." Adam scrunches his face up. "Ripugnante."
Max approaches the front door and squints her eyes, reading the text on the sign. "Almost seems machine translated but I can make it out. 'NEW YOU', 'FASHION FROM YOU, FOR YOU'? I'm not sure any store in District 3 would write that."
[SEEKER OF THE CITY] So whatever this anomaly is, it seems to care a lot about the perception of others. High fashion is a status symbol first and foremost.
Benjamin points towards the only obvious path forward. "It's deeper inside. It won't let us go until we face it. While cannibalism WOULD be a viable short term solution, I prefer not to eat anyone."
Max opens her mouth, seemingly ready to quip, but nods her head. You group proceeds down the only path forward.