Mark found that this world trivialized transportation.

In his previous life Mark would pack, then he would have to show up to an airport or a dock three hours before he actually needed to be there to wait for his transport to arrive.

This new world’s teleportation network meant that he had taken two identification pictures, packed and then he was transported with his group when he was ready.

The most irritating part of that day was the fact that he had sneezed during his first picture, Core had carried both Niko’s and his bags. And a big purple diagram had flashed him to an identical diagram dozens of miles away.

The first thing he noticed after the burst of purple light was how different his new location was from the hospital he had been stuck in. A smarter or more well learned man might have complimented the rich mahogany that the walls and floors were crafted from, or the masterful engravings adorning the room. Maybe he could have commented on the slight silver trim that seemed to decorate everything.

Mark just paused, staring at the sudden influx of color. It was both beautiful and alien at the same time. Gone were the thick concrete bricks and metal doors, the white tiles that would allow anyone to easily see any impurities, the fortress that kept him safe and warm.

He was again thrust into a new environment and it made him anxious, he stepped slightly behind Zirrilit and her metal trunk of a suitcase.

Not out of fear… Simply because it was the optimal placement for her to be in front of him.

“Well, let's go!” Zirrilit yelled, before stopping and turning back. “Or, actually do we wait for them to open the doors? There are doors though, so do I just push or-”

The wood splintered under her claws and she paused for a moment.

“Those were pull doors.” Zirrilit whispered. “I didn’t know if I wasn’t pushing hard enough or- oops.”

Mark stood awkwardly, before turning to Core. “Do you have, like, a repair kit or something?”

“Yes Mark, this unit possesses a standard issue repair kit.”

“Can you fix the door?”

“A welding device would not work on a wooden surface, I do not possess any tools capable of affixing wood to other wood.”

“Ah…” He turned to Niko. “Can you… Magic the door together?”

“Harpies hold onto mana with their feathers so I’m spent for another month or so.” She complained, “Also no, I am more of an elementalist.”

“Damn.” Mark tilted his head back and rested his hands behind his head. “Let's just ignore it.”

Zirrilit nodded, then strode forwards and kicked the wood into the hallway to clear the doorway.

Mark and Niko followed her out into the hall to come face to face with a small handful of well dressed figures.

“I take it you are the human, Mark, and the small retinue?”

The man who spoke was clearly some form of elf, though the exact subtype illuded Mark. When the elf offered a hand the human returned the gesture and shook firmly.

“My name is Mark, yes. I heard this was some form of embassy?” He clarified.

The elf smiled, a perfectly set of teeth peeked through his open lips. “That would be true sir. I am here to lead you to your room, I am the director for most of the staff here and you can come to me if you need any help.”

“Well, I err… Seem to have had some trouble with the door here. And I would like to know where our room is.” Mark stated.

The elf nodded, he directed another person from the group forwards and Mark came face to face with a tall and lithe rabbit person.

Mark blinked in surprise, then looked past the man towards the ensemble. Three elves, one blue person with a nose ridge-

He had seen some basic literature on commonly seen species and as such he understood that these people were seen as generally the most intelligent types. Elves had near immortal lifespans and so many would spend decades or even centuries perfecting crafts, Halvid had near perfect memories on top of a number of other mental abilities.

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He was at a loss with the rabbit person, but he was sure that they were smart too.

Mark held a hand out, “It's very nice to meet you Mister…”

He let the word drift out, hoping that the humanoid rabbit would answer him. It had brown fur, but on a second glance it was incredibly well muscled, was it some sort of bodyguard?

“I am with the Bureau of Investigation.” He answered simply, avoiding any form of name.

Mark felt some surprise. “So you are like a police officer? Did I do something wrong?”

“What? No. I have a doctorate in anomalous studies, did you say you have a bureau for investigators and that they aren’t research based?”

“They are more like detectives,” Mark said before clarifying, “for murders.”

“Ah, that does make sense. But no, I am far from a guard my specialty is in-”

“We can deal with pleasantries later investigator,” The elf interrupted. “Please allow us to show them to their room. Some of us have actual responsibilities to get to.”

The rabbit nodded, “Of course sir, follow me.”

Mark took a step after the investigator before looking over his shoulder for a moment to make sure that Zirrilit and Niko were following him.

He didn’t want to end up alone by accident.

The elf cleared his throat. “The building outside and to the right is the cafeteria, they serve food continuously but if you want to place a specific order you must come during the designated breakfast, lunch or dinner time tables. That up ahead is the gymnasium, there is a pool in the back if you happen to secretly be amphibious.”

Mark half listened to the elf drone about the facilities as they were led outside. He turned upwards to feel the sun on his face, before the slight chill to the air had him wishing for a jacket.

He saw a tree in the middle of a small lawn, it leaves were beginning to fall signifying the coming autumn,

With most of the walkways being outdoor concrete paths and most facilities being in separate buildings it allowed for a significant amount of outdoor exposure. Something he had forgotten he even missed in the bunker-like interior of the hospital, intellectually with what he had learned on militaristic theory he was exposed. But he forgot all of those troubles after stepping outside.

He had never been shot by people he didn’t see anyway, all of the times he had been almost killed they had literally been fighting someone else nearby and it just ended up with him getting hurt.

At the far end of one building a simple metal fence separated the embassy from the rest of the city. Mark could even see some form of fast food place a block away from where he was standing.

“And here we have the dorms. Mister Investigator, who doesn’t like using his own name, can show you to your room. Though it shouldn’t be difficult to figure out. The number is written on the key and beside the door.” The elf finished.

Mark realized he hadn’t been listening the entire time and chose to simply nod. All of the buildings on the compound had been described but he had only the vaguest sense of where a pool was.

“Thanks for showing me around. I can take it from here.” Mark decided.

“Well, no worries. You should rest up, the word is that Major Aestir was planning on heading into town with you in the morning. He’s known for being generous with gifts.”

With that the elf and his followers who had remained silent turned and left.

Mark nodded, though he knew that the purple lizard guy was a major he did not know what his name was. He looked down at the key in his hand.

“We are room three-sixteen.”

“Three sixteens?” Zirrilit asked. “Forty-eight?”

“No, err… Three hundred and sixteen.” Mark corrected.

Zirrilit nodded, as Mark began walking towards the building intent on finding his room she slowed her stride to walk beside Niko.

“I have something that the ID people gave me!” She whispered. “Wanna see?”

Niko glanced at Mark, seeing that he was somewhat out of hearing range if they kept their voices down.

“What is it?” Niko asked.

She had never seen Zirrilit hide something from Mark before, she even tried to follow him into the bathroom at times.

Was it some sort of weapon?

Or some sort of contingency, something in case his demons and angels proved to be too much, something that could…

Zirrilit held up her prize, and Niko saw an ID of Mark mid sneeze. The relevant identification information was never filled in resulting in what was essentially a blank card with a picture on it.

“His face is all smushed and stretched! He’s so floppy!”

“Is that it?” Niko glanced at the identification and sure enough, that seemed to be it. “How did you even get that?”

“I asked them about it! Isn’t it so cute though?” Zirrilit pocketed the card, “Like, he’s scrunching up his whole face because his nose itched.”

Niko glanced up at the dragon person, noting the alligator-like head. It did not have much room for fine facial movements.

She supposed making a weird face was pretty new to the deathworlder, though she failed to find why the blurry half-caught image was cute.

“I don’t get it.” the harpy admitted.

“Well, because… His face… it's all wrinkley.”

“Okay.” Niko decided to yield that point to escape the conversation.

“Do you not think it's funny because you are worried about how you look?” Zirrilit asked Niko.

“What? No. I don’t give a shit about my appearance.” Niko grumbled. “I have much, much bigger problems.”

“Are you sure? Because you look like a cooked chicken.”

Niko turned to spit an insult back before seeing Zirrilit’s face and realizing she wasn’t trying to be insulting.

Niko saw the genuine look of concern for a friend and it stabbed her pride like a magical blade.

“But you will stop looking so bad soon I think, they said that the feathers will grow back and it will cover the weird bony parts of your body and since you aren’t malnourished anymore you can start gaining some muscle which should fix the parts the feathers don’t cover. So you shouldn’t think about it too hard.” Zirrilit rambled.

Niko felt herself flush at the casual disgust for her body shape.

“Harpies are normally thin, we have to fly and that means light weight.”

Zirrilit paused for a moment, “Okay.”

Niko felt herself flush and hurried to catch up to Mark and Core.

She walked quietly behind the two of them for a few minutes until they finally reached their room where she shouldered past the shorter human and sprinted into the building.

“Jeez, what’s her problem?”

Zirrilit shrugged, “I dunno. She’s been having issues about her appearance since she got melted though.”

Mark sighed, “Don’t we have more important things to worry about right now?”

The dragonoid just shrugged again.

The human surveyed the room, and while it was one singular ‘room’ it held a major difference from the hospital.

In the hospital a room was fully self sufficient for one person, more similar to an individual bedroom. This dormroom was more like an apartment. A passing glance showed three bedrooms, a couple closets, a full kitchen directly next to the living room and even a small patio area.

He could have marveled at it, with this amount of space he could…

Well, he could watch television and continue to not understand what anyone was saying... but on a couch. And he didn’t exactly have many hobbies at this point. And since he couldn’t get blessings for whatever reason he had little cause to build a shrine in his house.

For now he decided that he was going to sleep in an actual bed.