Streets and Signings

They spent the rest of the train ride in relative silence as more and more people were getting inside and taking place next to them. Sally could swear that one of them touched her tail, but she didn't have any proof and Andreas was looking elsewhere to notice.

Once they arrived to their destination, the Lamia and the ex soccer player left the train.

This city was much bigger than the one that Voigt lived in, the buildings were much taller, and the street busier. In fact there were so many people around, she clung closely to Andreas's arm and refused to let go.

People around didn't pay attention to the odd couple, most likely already used to those sights. After all, one of the AWIO offices was in this city.

"Every time I see your architecture just stuns me. Like how are you making buildings that tall?" Sally asked, while still taking in the new sights.

"Oh, this?" Andreas looked at the ten or so stories office building that was visible from the distance. "Physics, chemistry and engineering, I suppose."

"You mean inventions?"

He nodded as they hurried along to the other side of the street.

"How do you even know where to go? Have you been there already?" She kept asking. In response, Andreas just showed her his phone with the exact route that they to take to get to AWIO office.

"Ohhh, it's this... Umm, what was it called?"

"Global positioning system in a phone. GPS."

He responded.

"Oh, yes. Very useful thing. Will you teach me how to use it?"

"Sure, I'll get you a phone as well."

He shrugged.

"Thank you."

They reached their destination in another five minutes. It was a small branch, placed in a two stories building. A single security guard at the doors tipped his hat and let them in without asking any questions.

There was no hallway or reception inside, they walked and slid literally straight into the office area with two workers inside.

One of them was a young man, who looked like he was barely out of high school. His suit didn't really fit him, and the way he sat on his chair, plus the mess on his desk made it seem like he didn't really want to be there.

The second person leaned against the wall next to the big printer. She looked way more mature than her companion, had long blonde hair that were falling down on top of her quite big breasts. Green eyes and face that could break relationships with the perfect symmetry of it only increased the effect of that beauty. She made even Andreas look twice, and on second peak he noticed she had long, sharp ears.

"Hello. We're here to sign the sponsor papers."

The Lamia started.

"Hi. Just gimme a sec..." The guy started, and was turning on something on his personal computer.

The presumably elven woman didn't speak at all, just observed them from her spot.

"... Alright, please take a seat. I'll need both of your credentials and some kind of ID from you, sir."

Sally sat on a bench prepared specially for bigger species. Andreas, not seeing any extra chair, just took his place next to her.

"My new or old world's name?"

"Both." The AWIO worker responded.

"In here I chose Sally Jones, back in old world though I was called Ashelis Sinelsa Iasesi."

The young man asked for the spelling, so the Lamia gave it to him.

Andreas, instead of saying his full name, just handed the ID to the guy.

"Just write down what's written there."

The nimble fingers were working at incredible pace on the keyboard.

"Alright, Andreas Voigt, born on the 22nd of June..." He began. Two minutes later he got all he needed.

"Right! The papers are printing, we should be done soon. Elise, can you hand me those?"

The elven woman didn't speak, just took the papers out of the printer and gave it to her companion. What creeped out Andreas was the fact that she never broke eye contact with him, was constantly just devouring him with her crazy eyes.

"I trust both of you are happy with your arrangements. If you, sir, go into any financial problems, you can apply for a relief. And if you, lady, want to come back to AWIO, you can call our help line, we'll extract you as soon as possible." The young man was giving them a short explanation of what were their options. "Other than that contract states that you are essentially roommates, bound to each other. You, sir, are supposed to take care of her and be her guide in this world."

He coughed once before reading the next sentence.

"And when you'll end up marrying each other, you are obliged to give us a call so we can put that in our record."

"When?" Andreas asked with a stern voice, but the guy completely ignored him.

"Sign here and here... Alright, we're all done. Have a nice, sponsor, life."

"Right. Good bye, then."

As they were leaving, Andreas could've swear that he heard a soft, feminine whisper, and then felt a tiny sting piercing into his right arm. He had no idea whether it was real or he just thought he felt that. But when he looked back, right before closing the doors, the elven woman was gone.