A Chronometric Defect

"Young warrior! State your name and profession! If you do not know, then please say 'status' and provide your readout! You will be placed according to your talents and, if deemed worthy, your preferences!"

Huh? Now what's happening? I remember dying, then being chained to a wall. But 'my' arm wasn't the one I died with. Was it? Why do I feel like it was the wrong arm?

"Young warrior, if you do not comply, you will be deemed insubordinate and ejected according to sentencing instruction 1771(c) part 7! That is; summary execution! Please. Follow. Instructions. If you did not understand or hear, please view this tablet bearing the same information. Further noncompliance will NOT be tolerated!"

A woman's sitting behind this clean counter in front of me. She hands me a black slab bearing symbols I don't understand. However, I do understand the spoken language. Especially the phrase 'summary execution.'

"Status."

Name: Rafien

Level: 1

Job: None

Skills: None

Talents: Chronometric Fixation

Stats:

Str: 5

Sta: 7

Int: 102

Wis: 39

"My name is Rafien. Level 1, no job or skills—"

"Rejected! Please leave through that door."

The woman in front of me says, almost mechanically. She doesn't even point to the correct door.

This isn't fair.

I don't even know what this is; I just know it's not fair.

"But, I—"

She sharply cuts me off.

"Thank you for complying."

Dejected, I turn and walk toward a random door. Whow, why do my legs feel so weird? I'll figure that out once I get out of here. Who knows what that woman will do if I don't leave. 'Not complying' was already enough for execution.

I see the door, and to open it, I raise my—

I halt.

What IS that? I move my... Fingers?

They move fine, so I place them on the door and push.

*kreeee*

It opens and— nothing. It's an empty dirt street, complete with a wood and stone building over on the opposite side.

I exit the doorway to no fanfare whatsoever.

Now freed from whatever that travesty was, I have a new opportunity to examine my hand. When I was chained to a bed, my hand looked normal, but I thought it was wrong.

So why does this look right?

I wiggle my orange, scaly fingers. Sharp black claws adorning their tips glint and flicker in the sunlight like some kind of gemstone. I look down and see I'm not wearing any pants. I also see my middling, somewhat muscled, orange scaled legs. I then notice that both my legs now possess an extra reverse ankle.

What the hell's going on here?

I put my hand onto my head and immediately stab myself with something long and sharp. It's affixed to my head quite firmly. I pull my impaled scaly hand off of it, curl my fingers, and try to feel its shape.

...

Do I have horns, too? Then...

I turn around, trying to move my rear. A thick orange tail flips across my vision for a moment. It's covered in scales, like the rest of me. Or... Whoever I'm supposed to be. No, my status says I'm Rafien, right? I AM me. But what am I?

Putting aside my identity crisis for a moment, I need to understand what's going on here. Whatever I've become probably won't survive unless I'm able to secure the basic necessities. The sooner I start, the better.

I always watched those extreme survival shows, and... While I know it's mostly bullshit, I liked imagining how I'd get myself out of a tough situation. It's a shame how being reborn as a neon orange lizard-thing wasn't one of those shows' survival scenarios.

First, I'll need water. I look to my left instinctively. Is that a trait of my new species? Hmm. Nonetheless, I see a well, complete with a communal bucket.

Well, well, well. How easy.

Next I need food. Again, I instinctively look— this time down at some road bricks, near an alley. That's...

I raise my hand to my chin as I think.

Hmm... Unfortunately, yes.

That's definitely a rat. A very much alive rat. Why do I consider that 'food?'

I drop my arms and shoulders, hunch over, and feel despair flood over me.

Oh, no. It's because I'm a lizard-thing, isn't it? I've got an amazing instinct, but it thinks extremely raw rats are edible. I put my hands on my head, carefully avoiding my horns this time. I shake my head.

No no no. Bad instinct! Bad!

I stand normally.

Ugh.

Now what? Should I look for a job? If I have money, I won't need to eat rats. I look down. My shirt has no pockets so...

I'm broke.

I need a job.

A map appears in my mind. It shows a red line following a series of streets. Hah? Don't tell me this is the same thing from before? Then... Where did this come from?

Well, it wasn't on my status sheet. So, what about an outlier... Hmm. What if I check my Int more carefully?

"Status, Int."

Int: 102

Bonus: Master Pathfinding

Damn. It worked— and what a cheat! I can ask for the location of something and find it immediately? Are there any limitations? Also, can I ask mentally, as well?

I need a dragon.

A map appears in my mind. It leads through a series of several streets, onto the main road, then out through the city's main gate. It follows a meandering path into the wilderness, around a cliff, then down south. After going south through several towns and a series of small mountains, the line stops at what looks like a mesa. There's no labels anywhere.

Damn.

I say 'damn' not because there's no labels, though. No, labels aren't the problem. Why was I able to locate a freaking dragon? I'm just a tiny lizard-thing. If THAT came over here? I'd be screwed.

I shake my lizard-head. No use worrying about it. Let's focus on more present dangers.

I need the strongest being hostile to me in a 10km radius.

Again, the map. Except it leads to... The door I just exited from? There's a red dot roughly above the desk where the woman was. Except, she's moving toward the door.

Oh, DAMN! I'm getting out of here.

As I flee, I make the same request as before. This time, the red line leads out the front gates again.

Was she that pissed at me for loitering? Really? How did she even know?

I shake my lizard-head again. It doesn't matter. I'm not loitering anymore, so she's left me alone.

Then... Since I have this amazing ability?

I need free information about this city.

Once again, I receive the mental map. It tells me to enter the door to my left. Well, that's odd.

I turn and open the door.

Huh, it's silent.

"Hello!"

Another human-looking woman greets me.

"Uh, hi. I'm a bit confused and lost. Can you help me?"

"Tha's a bit odd ta ask an information broker, but ya somehow came to tha ri'ht place. Ya hav' some 'credible luck ta pull tha'off. We don' ev'n have a sign out front."

Despite her kindness, she's clearly suspicious.

"Oh, wow, no kidding. So, um. Does that mean I need to pay you?"

"Obviously. What is it ya wanna know?"

I want to know a lot of things, but I asked for free information. Not a broker who charges by the question. Is my cheat broken already?

"Uhm, how do most people make money?"

"Sweetie, tha's a 'world's dumbest question' if I ever heard one. Tell ya what, I'll give ya one freebie. Just make sure ta come back later with somethin' good for me, aight? I don' normally do charity— but I feel bad for ya."

Freebie? How did...

She writes something down, then rips the paper.

*shrrrip*

She hands me the piece of paper. I look down to read it. Again, I can't read a thing. All I know is it's three words.

I look up at her, embarrassed.

"Uhm, I can't—"

She raises one eyebrow.

"City Tradin' Post."

It says 'City Trading Post.' Anyone can make money at a trading post. No wonder she called it a 'world's dumbest question.' I slap my scaly forehead.

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit out of it today. Thank you for your help. I'll pay it back when I can."

"I said 'charity,' hun. I figure someone lucky as you m'ght bring business if I point ya in tha right direction, even if ya'are a lil' slow. Now, ya get goin'. I got some clients comin' soon and I don't need YOU hangin' 'round, a'right?"

"Yes, thank you."

I bow my head a little, then turn around and exit the door. Okay, it's time to get things started.

I need the city trading post.