Komin seemed to be surprised that Aric would even ask that question and looked at him weirdly. His expression spoke volumes and made Aric realize that he was in a place where medical industry has evolved in a way never imagined before. There were different aliens out here but the medical industry could still heal him and make him fit to stand in almost no time.
Aric looked embarrassed but Komin didn't seem to press on the problem of cancer anymore as he could that the topic cancer seemed to bring out some emotions out of this young kid. They talked as they walked towards the exit.
Aric wanted to ask what this place was and much more questions but he refrained from doing so not because he would be embarrassed but because doing so might reveal some secrets of himself. He didn't want to associate with anyone until he got a general understanding of the situation around.
After they came out of the exit, Aric got to see the city for the first time. The last time he could only do so from afar as he was in the far suburbs of the city but he was sure that this time he was almost at the heart of the city.
Stepping out of the hospital, Aric was greeted by the breathtaking sight of city sprawling before him. The cityscape stretched as far as the eye could see, a mesmerizing blend of towering skyscrapers and glittering spires reaching towards the sky. Buildings of all shapes and sizes soared into the heavens, their sleek surfaces gleaming under the multiple hues of artificial light.
The streets below bustled with activity, thronged with beings of countless shapes and colors. Hovering vehicles zipped through the air above, their sleek forms leaving trails of shimmering light in their wake. Was that anti-gravity?
Aric was surprised to even notice parks and greenery dotted the landscape, their lush foliage filled with green and all the colors one could imagine. He was really amazed with what he was seeing and it also made him excited.
"Aric, I hope you don't mind me calling you Aric." Diorin, the butler/bodyguard said.
"No... No.. I am younger than you and you even saved my life. You can call me by any name." Aric said. Diorin smiled at him.
"We will be leaving as we have some work to do. I see that you don't have a communicator in your hand. You can go to any electronics shop and buy one communicator, and even the best ones will not cost you more than 1k Sora credits." Diorin said.
"Yes.. I understand.. Thank you again for saving me." Aric said. Meanwhile Komin came forward with a small card and gave it to him. The card was made of hard paper or something of that material at least.
On it was written.
Komin Vallin
Morg-Vallin Insurance Agency
301 Nebula Avenue,
Heights Neighborhood,
Starhaven
Communicator number : 7878554865TY9
"Uhh.. Thank you." Aric said. It was his business card and was surprised that at this day and age people still used business cards but he was glad that he got one because in no way he would be able to remember that long of a number.
Actually business cards was just used for decoration for people who lived a very luxurious life. The more money and power you have, the more one would indulge in things that would give one some kind of status among their peers. It's like the scene from American Psycho. That whole flex of cards didn't mean anything in the real world, but for rich people that gave them some kind of satisfaction.
Aric didn't know about this fact, nor he cared that Komin came from a rich family. He took the card and kept it inside the pocket. Soon a hovering car came gliding by and stopped near them. From the lightly tinted windows, Aric could easily see that there was nobody driving the car and was automatic.
By now he was numb to the whole change of scenery and was just taking in every moment. Komin and Diorin bid him goodbyes and hopped into the car. With a rush, the car soon floated up and flew away.
"I need to return home and see how much time I have spent here. It shouldn't be more than an hour or so." Aric thought and proceeded to walk on the streets and find a secured place to teleport. Until now he hadn't seen anyone who could some kind of abilities so Aric didn't dare to use his ability in the open space.
But first Aric understood that he needed that smart watch which here they called communicator, probably because it could be used for communication like mobiles. The prospect of acquiring a communicator that would allow him to navigate this alien world, and also find out what was actually going on around.
He quickened his pace as he made his way towards the nearest electronic shop, or at least that's what the letters seemed to say on the large holographic hoarding. Upon entering the sleek and futuristic store, Marcus was greeted by an array of dazzling displays showcasing the latest in interstellar electronics which he had no idea about.
A friendly sales alien approached him, its large eyes twinkling with curiosity as it gestured towards the impressive array of devices. "Greetings, traveler! Welcome to Icon Electronics. How may I assist you today?"
"I'm looking for a communicator," Aric replied, trying to mask his awe at the futuristic surroundings. "Something versatile, with advanced features."
"Ah, you're in luck! We have a wide selection of communicators from the finest brands across the galaxy. Allow me to show you some of our top models."
"This is Galactic Link Pro. It features 1.2M quantum processor. It has no delay in response and the delay is negligible even for a species which has gone through 4th enhancements. Even in far off planet, this one can open a page without lag or delays."
"And what about storage?" Aric showed that he understood but he was already blown away by quantum processor. That was already enough to break his world. The other words seemed total gibberish to him at this point.