The Magic Shop had opened in town recently, having replaced an arcade that had slowly become infamous for mysterious disappearances. That this new shop carried a name that symbolized mystery and trickery made it seem eerie to you. The shop’s entrance looked ancient and worn down despite being open for a week at the town's center. You took it as the image the owner wanted it to give off.
When you entered the place, you discovered a considerable difference in style. Whereas the outside seemed dusty and worn, the inside, albeit still looking antique, was very tidy and well-organized. Watches and jewelry were neatly organized within a glass box, which simultaneously functioned as the counter behind stood a middle-aged yet still attractive woman.
The dark wood shelves carried books, vases, and lamps of various sizes, arrayed according to recognizable patterns. Then there was a more modern section with technology that sharply contrasted what you thought would be sold in a 'magic' shop. Remotes with no TV screen in sight and modern lingerie that seemed somewhat showy hung next to each other on several racks because they needed more than one for display, a single computer, with a program on it, for show.
To you, it looked more like the local dollar store than anything else.
The lady looked up as you heard a small chime above your head upon entering the shop, stepping through its narrow opening. She greeted you with a smile, and you simply nodded back, hoping to make clear that you didn't need any help for now.
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You browsed through the wares for a while, unknowing what you did or didn't want to buy. Every single item along the rows of shelves carried a small tag with intriguing descriptions, piquing your interest. Eventually, you found two sets of clothes, both sealed in plastic bags. One was completely blue, and another one was completely pink. You wanted to inspect them better, only to find their tags missing.
So instead, you picked up the bags and carried them to the woman behind the counter.
You greeted her and then asked your question. “Could you explain what is so magical about these clothes? I can't seem to find the tags.”
The lady nods with a smile. “If I recall correctly, these clothes swap the wearer's sex. The prototypes were produced by Thai shamans, who hoped to find a solution for their country's rising numbers of transgender people.”
“Which does what?” You asked even though you believed you already knew the answer.
"The pink set can turn any man into a woman, whereas the blue set does the opposite.” The shopkeeper answered politely. “I have managed to purchase one pair of sets at a reasonable price, so I am willing to offer them as a pair at a discount.”
Then through that logic, you deduced that the pink clothes wouldn't work on you. However, this was a fascinating product overall, but you only needed the blue set.
“That would be $149.98 instead of the usual two hundred dollars.” The lady continued.
You cringed at the cost. Knowing your bank account, you wouldn't have trouble buying it, though it meant fewer vacation days for you this year if you followed through with its purchase. Still, knowing that you only needed the blue pair, you didn’t know if you wanted to pay this much for both.
“Can I ask how much only one set would cost?” You asked.
The lady frowned but gave an honest answer. “I recommend against it, but if you were to purchase only one set of clothes, it would cost you one hundred dollars, minus one cent, a gift from the bank to you.”
Buying both meant having fifty percent off one product and seventy-five percent off the entire purchase.
It left you pondering with indecision. Should you purchase both sets at a discount, or did you only want the blue one, believing it was the only set you would need? You could still ask for the description tags of both items to double-check and ensure you weren’t missing anything.