"Okay, Levi Quinn… lets get you your license…"
Levi didn't say anything, he just replied with a slight nod.
The woman gestured toward a flat holographic monitor hovering beside where he stood.
"Do me a favour and drag the interface in front of you…" she said.
Levi did as he was told.
"Stand still, face forward and try as much as possible not to move."
Levi nodded and made himself rigid despite the cooing sounds his SnatchClaw was making on his right ear.
The holographic interface scanned and registered his face on the display, excluding the dinosaur on his shoulder which Levi was extremely impressed by.
A couple more beeping sounds were audible and then his passport photo started loading as the room sank into silence that was only interrupted by the faint cough of other workers in the room.
Levi watched as the metal press engraved the logo of the Prehistoric Advent {P.A}, on the copper piece and then a metal chip that emitted a small holographic screen that displayed his passport, name, age, and other relevant information.
Name: Levi Quinn
Origin: Sector L
Age: 19 Years
THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE NAMED IS LEGALLY APPROVED BY THE WORLD GOVERNMENTS AND THE PREHISTORIC ADVENT TO TAME AND OVERSEA THE AFFAIRS OF HIS/HER BONDED DINOSAUR(S).
"It is on the official system now…" the woman said with an affirmative nod. "Let me embed your Hibernation device and then you'll be good to go."
Levi didn't respond, he just watched her reach for a metal coated box with partitions and carefully arranged stones with glistening magic pulses in between the cracks, some of which were more vivid than the other.
She gently picked one up, inserted it into a cylindrical tube and inserted at the back of the badge license. It fitted with a click and then she swirled it in her palm to examine it.
She glanced up at Levi and dragged her gaze to his Dinosaur, both of them starring back at the woman patiently.
"This is your licence slash Hibernation device for your Dinosaur… here you go… if you somehow loose it in future you will have to pay 3,000 Urns for a new one, is that clear?"
Levi nodded his head and outstretched his hand, "Yes ma'am…"
He pocketed the device and left the platform, felling the womans gaze scratching the back of his neck.
"Next!" a voice rang out into the air as levi stepped through the exit door and into the light of the day.
»»»«««
It was below mid day and the sun was clearly setting, allowing the artificial lightning of the city to come to life.
Floating holographic panels displaying commercials, Prehistoric Advent bill boards that showed a map of live locations of portals that were active throughout the city.
The city didn't seem like one that would stop moving. There were people dressed in different absurd clothing, drones and bots moving around as a form of law enforcement, open shops and grocery stores that definitely could be robbed at any point in time by anyone with a fire arm.
There was the familiar sound of sirens here and there from distant places and most importantly, you couldn't walk ten steps without seeing an establishment that either had the image of a Dinosaur on the advertisement or one that dealt with something that has to do with Dinosaurs.
The street had a never ending traffic, and the cars had this particular sound to it; not like the normal combustion engine sound, they had this low, smooth electric hum that sounded louder with increase in speed.
Even with Levi's memories guiding him, he was still very much dumbfounded by this brave, new world… a world post the resurrection of Dinosaurs.
It was like waking up in a dream that was meant for someone else. He darted his gaze around, overwhelmed by the magnitude of this place, his Velociraptor watching as well. It still sat, clung to his shoulder with its tail flinging every which way as Levi walked.
Levi took a few steps at a time, still taking in the scene and adjusting to the scent of electricity and rust. A boy who had just gotten his license hurried past him, crossing the road without even watching out for oncoming vehicles, his newly hatched Dinosaur cradled against his body like a giant baby as he disappeared into a dark alleyway.
'That's a Carnotaurus - StormHorn… Grade 1 ranking.' he thought to himself, noting the ability to just know what kind of Dinosaur it was just by looking at it.
He shook his head and registered within him the next course of action, which was to go home and wait for a period of one week before returning for his first Reaper mission.
Based on the info dump in his head, he knew where home was, although he hadn't ever been there. He just had to follow the familiarity till he got there.
He's 'Home' was a small workshop house hybrid tucked in the out-skirts of Sector L, under a low traffic bridge. He was presently in Sector E, and that was a considerably lengthy distance to cover, therefore their was much need for a transport.
It wasn't uncommon to see Dino Tamers of any given profession not necessarily Reapers use their Dinosaurs as a means of transport, especially airborne Dinosaurs. But, his Velociraptor was still in its early stages and when it eventually matured it would be at least 6.5 feet in length and would weigh about 44 Ibs. So it wasn't really practical to be used as a transport means.
Levi moved to the bullet train terminal with practiced ease. It resembled any other subway system, yet everything hummed with a different kind of life. Electronic signs flickered with precision, demarcators glowed in steady pulses, and toll gates opened with seamless efficiency—all powered by a current of clean, radiant energy.
Standing at the very entrance of the subway, he took another step towards the toll gate, just when he was about taking another step, a swarm of drones surrounded him in the blink of an eye.
Levi was starstruck by this action, they surrounded him blaring an annoying red and blue alarm that seemed to irritate his Velociraptor a great deal.
He was only confused for a couple seconds until a pedestrian walking towards the toll gate spoke nonchalantly.
"No Dinosaurs allowed in the subway hobo…"
Levi took a step back and the drones eased off on the annoying alarm sound, he took another step forward and the alarm erupted again.
Looking down he realized there was a red neon line streaking across the floor, that was probably the limit to which Dinosaurs were allowed near the subway.
Levi stepped back, knowing fully well what he had to do. He grabbed his SnatchClaw from his shoulder and gently placed it on the ground, its beady eyes glaring at him with inquisitive innocence.
"Alright, you have to go in now, buddy," Levi muttered, holding up the other end of his badge license that contained the hibernation device.
The SnatchClaw blinked at him. Then, instead of stepping forward it stood there with no movement just an unbroken stare that looked like it said 'You're and idiot.'
Levi frowned, waving the device slightly a few times.
"Come one, return… sleep… erm hibernate" nothing, the Dinosaur tilted its head unimpressed.
Levi rolled his eyes then steadies his grip and raised the device with as much dignity as he could muster.
At once, the Velociraptor's chest flared with a swirl of blue energy. The light expanded, wrapping around its body before pulling it in with a whoosh. In a blink, the Dinosaur was gone, and the Hibernation device changed its hue from a bluish, graceful colour to a red colour.
Levi smirked. Tossing and catching his license in one palm. "Hah, not bad. Way handier than dragging it around…"
He walked over the neon red, striking line and this time; those annoying drones didn't bother to disturb him as he made a beeline for the toll gate.
: Welcome to Subway V-8 Titan. Please swipe your debit card for payment and the closest bullet train will arrive to take you to your destination.
An unnecessarily high volumed, well articulated, female AI voice spoke as he stood in front of the bars.
Levi sunk his hands into his pockets and withdrew it. It was almost like the normal cards he was used to in his previous reality, but the inscriptions on it were done with neon blue lights.
The system beside the toll gate bars showed a payment fee of 10.71 Urns, he narrowed his eyes somehow knowing that he had just above that price in his cards balance.
After paying, Levi stood on the track side waiting for a bullet train designated for his destination. He looked around the subway station and noticed a herd of four maybe five Dino Tamers chatting at one end of the station, probably waiting for a train too.
Levi noticed the badges on their chest or for some strapped to their belt— they were Dino Tamers, although they didn't look like Reapers one bit.
Dino Tamers who weren't Reapers didn't have classes or hierarchy of power, only their dinosaurs did. They usually used their dinosaurs for personal or community benefits like business, fire fighting, construction or whatever was their line of work.
Finally it arrived, and the doors opened with a magnetic hiss, Levi quickly stepped aboard the long metallic and spotless white train.
Inside, the lights were bright and didn't leave any corner without illumination. There were plush leather seats that were clean with all sorts of people sitting in different spots. Everything had this slight tang of luxury to it because this was one of the richest sectors… Sector E.
Levi slumped into a seat, letting out a huge sigh of mental exhaustion. The train was moving now, building up speed until it climbed to an unbelievable speed of 350 mph. Outside, the windows were dark and not a single image could be registered due to the speed.
Inside the train a couple holographic billboards danced with brand advertisements and Levi even noticed one with the face of the Constable of Sector E— Shane Ferrell, the information on the screen clearly stating an encouragement for a re-election as the Sector's Constable. Other screen displayed news on Portal crisis awareness or pro-Reaper propaganda with Tamers smiling for the camera and their Dinosaurs behind them in a well constructed cinematic pose.
Levi pressed his lips into a thin line. 'What the fuck even is this place? It can't just be another world like this aside from the Earth I know… could it be that this is the same Earth but in the future? And I couldn't just taken over someone's body and that someone being… me. Does that even make sense?'
His eyes widened in surprise as he sat up straighter peering deeper into one of the holographic screens searching for a date.
July 16th, 7145.