As Stanley looked around, he could tell why the onlookers were confused. Puffer jackets were a concept unthought of; it would never cross the minds of the average person here.
There is too much diversity here. How many races exist?
He analyses everyone who is seen by him.
They all possess many types of hair colour, from black to white. It seems it was not just humans walking — people with animal qualities: fur, ears, scales, body mass, lips, and eyes. Some show more human characteristics than others.
"Fantasy world. Wow."
Now where the hell did this world come from? I didn't expect this at the end of the door.
After his brief pause, he continued his short journey, admiring and thinking of a plan he could contribute to the advancement of the medical civilisation he was stepping on.
Does this world know what science is? Maybe gravity, if I'm lucky.
A few minutes of walking led him to small buildings, each labelled in a language not comprehensible to Stanley. His eyebrows squished together in thought.
I was expecting too much. At least I can communicate verbally.
He then stood still to check his belongings. He only had a few Rouves in his left pocket. The right had wrappers of Neo-plastic sweets from a day ago.
"Far out. I can't really trade items for the value of info."
"INSPECTION IS UPON US!" shouted a man wearing a navy blue suit.
Stanley turned to his right in curiosity to see people going into a small house, lining up into two paths.
Inspection… It seems like this country has to check something for certain people to make sure of something I do not know. Is it for the public, or chosen individuals?
Stanley walked over the rough pavement to talk.
"Ay, mister! I am new to this place, what is this?" He walks with a slightly positive attitude and comes in for a handshake.
The attention of the well-dressed fellow is focused on him.
"Well then, sir! I can definitely tell that you don't come from here. Here in Bliford, we can get up to two hundred attacks at minimum that kill at least five people every great reset. This inspection leads to the town of Clifford. We don't let anyone in without confirming they have no evil motives." The man with the comb-over haircut spoke with fluency and a heavy accent that sounded foreign.
"Huh. So I can walk over there without any requirements, right?"
"Yes, my biddo!"
"Biddo?" Stanley was confused.
"Yes, biddo!"
'Biddo' must mean something like buddy, or mate.
"Well, my biddo, where am I right now?"
The man instantly frowned when he heard what Stanley said.
Uh, I messed up. 'Biddo' must mean something else.
"Yeah, what does 'biddo' actually mean?"
The man put his right hand behind his head and looked intrigued but cautious of the foreign man.
"You. You aren't from this planet, right?" the man questioned.
I definitely know that this place is not Suran land, but I don't have a single clue what solar system I have arrived at.
"Well, what planet am I on now?" Stanley asked.
"Mm." He stared into Stanley, deep in thought. "Look up. Have you ever seen that star before?"
As Stanley turned his head upwards, his eyebrows squeezed together, looking at not one but almost two stars merging together at a slow rate. The sky had many clouds in a bluish-purple gradient that spread across it. He was slightly overwhelmed, being so far from his home. He could only think about where he might be, in another galaxy cluster than his own.
It definitely isn't Galga, because there would be two suns; nor Rabratagar, Dodor, or Auleone Tibouvir.
"Hey man, what is the time, please?" Stanley asked politely.
"It is 11/22/3413/32 right now."
What the fuck. His face contorted into a glare of confusion and eye-squinting.
The man grabbed something out of his pocket. Close to Stanley's face was a rectangle as big as his hand, made of something similar to silver. Poke. Stanley touched his hand on the shape to feel that it was malleable yet solid — something not capable of being made in poor civilisations. It read a language Stanley couldn't be bothered to care for.
The man's gaze towards Stanley was sharp and forgiving.
"So, I cannot read that. Explain it for me in Surane."
"Finally, some information. You are of Suran material." He was relieved, yet excited.
"Why in Osa's name are you here?"
"I'll tell you after you tell me the fucking time. You aren't telling me where I am, so I'll figure it out."
"Wow, biddo. So we are standing near Paralyst Gate, East Bliford."
"No, like — is the planet called East Bliford?"
"Ah, we are in Sola Frechia, in Sola Malisia."
"More specific — like, how close are we to Suran? Plus, you still haven't told me the time, dumbass."
Stanley got more annoyed and started to fill with anger. His glare increased as he tilted his head forwards to try to intimidate the suited man.
The man, however, was the opposite of Stanley — grinning slightly and speaking with a tone of teasing. He brushed his side part with his left hand to show more forehead.
"Aw, biddo, my fault. In Surane terms, it is 3:23 after midnight."
"What about my other question?"
"Ah, my fault. In Surane terms, we are 124 light-years from your planet."
"Well, thank you, buddy. Also, why do you speak like you haven't had a conversation in three years?"
He could be an artificial race.
"My purpose is to serve as an information station for people like you. Most people know their way here."
"Like a job?"
"No. I was born for this only."
"Don't you want to change your fate? It sounds miserable."
"Nah. It's the only thing I know how to do."
"Uh, you can do much more than that. You are intelligent, buddy!" Stanley reaches out for his shoulder.
"Yeah… I can't move from this spot. That's why."
Stanley pulls back his arm after hearing this answer. He glares out with judgement.
"So it's like that. You don't feel emotions — you answer questions and announce, and that's it."
"Yeah, I did."
"Well, goodbye then, robot guy."
"Goodbye, biddo. INSPECTION IS UPON US!!!"
The suited man goes back to his "purpose" while Stanley walks to the small room to the right of him. After waiting in line, he opens it. Creak goes the door.
He opened the door with his right hand to enter an empty room. All sides, excluding the door, were covered in wood, with no gaps between — a perfect square. There was a wooden table with a glass of water, a pill, and a piece of paper on top.
"Gosh, paper??"
The note on the table read: To pass into Clifford, East Bliford, take the drug on the table. It will analyse your blood, thoughts, and ideas and will be passed on to be reviewed and checked. The result will be given to you through this note.
Really? Idol pills are a tad bit crude, even for a semi type-1 civilisation. Stanley was not disappointed but let down. He had assumed a crude group of beings would have their own way to inspect, not the usual stuff.
Gulp!
The pill went down to his stomach after he drank it down with water. Minutes passed, with a feeling of inner confusion inside his body. It spread from his legs to his stomach, arms, fingertips, and neck, up to his head. The sensation moved like a friendly virus, searching.
[SCHHWEEP.]
Grabbing Stanley's attention, the paper quickly shifted into a green hue, like moss. Stanley grabbed the paper, as it read something new: You can go now. Repeat the entry code on the paper. "Surprise."
"S-surprise?"
[AAH!]
The door behind him slammed open, hitting the wall inside his room. Stanley got startled but recovered quickly. He turned around and saw a small glimpse, standing two metres from the door, showing him a big civilisation for a rural world he doesn't know.
The air of a new area fills his lungs. Curiosity floods his brain and pushes him into moving.