After another busy day of work at the shop, Fiona took inventory with Greg of the remaining stockpile: they were making headway on selling the loot, to the tune of being just over halfway to the goal, assuming Barry didn't cheat, lie, or otherwise pull even more unsavory things.

Greg kept saying maybe they should just smuggle the money away, and that he ‘knew people’ who could help. It might have been the first time she'd heard him joke about his family. She'd had to remind him that probably wouldn't work out well for anyone involved.

After the shop closed up, she switched to some casual wear, and Greg did the same. It was unusual, to see him dressed in anything other than his usual professional attire. He probably put more stock into it than his apartment. That notion made her sad: he should have a home at least as cozy as her place.

“Run this by me. You want to check how far a range this has?” She was jogging at a steady pace, the brisk fall air chilling against her body as they went through the south portion of the city, along the main avenues lined with trees now looking more and more barren. However, some still had plentiful orange and gold leaves clinging to them, illuminated by the arcane streetlights spaced along the main throughway, where steam machines drew heavy cargo.

Greg nodded, keeping pace with her in his athletic gear, toned muscle accented in a way that his usual business wear never gave a hint of. He even wore a faint smile as he kept pace, weaving through an intersection where people were standing in line for a hot meal from a food cart. “Correct. Your magic is very unusual, Fiona. I must admit a genuine curiosity about this. I have never heard of someone, other than a tinkerer, possessing such a broad suite of abilities. Or, on a woman who already makes dragons cry for fun.”

“There was only one! Doug was such a pushover.” She turned a corner as they worked past the business area, two and three-story fronts of stone, mage steel, and slowly rising scaffolding of major projects going up. It was like she was watching a city growing into an industrial state, though some had been stalled since she arrived in town.

It felt good to get out and take a tour, her fleet feet barely touching the cobblestone and brick pathways, and her blood pumping in her veins. This was invigorating, something she’d not been doing enough of lately. “Anyway, how far do you think we should try this from?”

“Just about…here.” He stopped and took a breather, and a small water flask he kept on his hip. He took a drink and offered it to her. She took it and took a sip. “Teleportation without a portal is a bit different. That's why I have Bonnie observing when you teleport back with instrumentation.”

“Fancy words, Greg. Is our vixen being a positive influence on you?” It was funny how he stammered briefly as a sly smile crossed her face, and she leaned in. “Don't think I haven't noticed.”

“W-we are just…business partners. I prefer to keep it that way.”

“Now that sounded like a lie. Oooh, that's gonna cost ya, Greg!” He narrowed his eyes at her, looking sweaty and more flustered than he should from a short run. “I mean, she's super cute. I love that playful growl of hers when she's annoyed. And I think you like it when she does her little witchery tricks.”

“Oh? Which ones?”

“When she uses her hat to pester you when you aren't looking. It does do hat tricks indeed!” She also pointed at a few hairs of bright red fur on his shoulder. “Aaaand, someone was a little close to ya today!”

“Coincidence. It’s from my calico cat.”

“Uh-huh. Funny, how I didn’t see a cat at your apartment.”

“She goes as she pleases. Her name is Minks.” She couldn’t tell if that was a lie or not, but it sure smelled like Bonnie. He pulled out his arcanist pad, and started scribbling. “Noting the time, location, environmental conditions–”

“Bahaha, you even smell like her! Smells like vanilla, hint of lilac. Aaaad, she has perfumes that match that!” She laughed and pointed at him.

“We are in close proximity during the day.”

“Oh no. Bet its close proximity during the evening.” Greg’s lip twitched at this, and he glanced down at his arcane pad.

“Subject is elven female, characteristics typical of her species, high degree of athletics, some magic abilities, unusual acquisition of mark, class identity is unique–”

Greg had to stop as she leaned in, wearing a lecherous smile. “You're changing the subject. Bonnie gets cozy with you so quick when we're out. If you guys aren't getting cozy at home, I’d be genuinely surprised. A little tip, cologne irritates her. You won’t need it. Also, she loves to go to the theater. We went once, it was like a Cepalunean rendition of Macbeth. Except less witches. And a lot less of a tragic end for everyone. And no madness-stricken queen with a sleepwalking problem. Anyway, she would be swept off her feet if a certain someone were inclined to get two tickets.”

Greg blinked. “You know, you haven’t mentioned much of Earth culture. I have heard snippets here and there, and I think some of it has filtered into ours. Though, I’ve also read that the summons kind of…well…aren’t always stable.”

“Yeah, Greg. Maybe that’s because we get yanked from everything we know,” Fiona huffed, hands on her hips. “You’re also slyly trying to change the subject again.”

He stopped scribbling and put the arcanist pad away. “If we were a couple? It carries risks.”

“Okay, keep deflecting–”

“Fine, then!” he let out a frustrated exhale before pinching the bridge of his nose. “We’ve…been hanging out. At her apartment, occasionally.”

Her eyes dazzled in delight. “I knew it! I saw it on the way to work, you guys are a thing! Spill it, Greg, is she a good kisser? Does she cuddle up? Does she make that weird purring sound when she’s happy–”

He put up his hand to interrupt her, looking utterly exasperated, and bit his lip. “Is there a moment in your life where you aren’t stirring up drama?”

“Me? Nah! This is fun! I knew it when she kept doing that compulsive extra brushing, and sitting next to you looking all anxious.” She folded her arms, looking smug. “So you are capable of emotion. You’re a tough nut to crack, Greg.”

“How about we talk about this after you teleport back?” He pulled out his arcanist pad. “Pinky promise. Or something that you’ve said a time or two before.” He pulled out his relay, and tapped in something. “Bonnie, we’re ready. We’re about a half kilometer from the shop. Beginning our test.”

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“Standing by! Tell Fi not to split herself in two when she does that! We can’t stitch people together in that way if there’s an oopsie!” Greg’s eyes twitched at Bonnie's teasing remark.

She hoped it was a teasing remark. She took a deep breath, delighted her best friend was seeing someone decent! Greg could be a square at times, but he also could feel deeply when he chose to. She rolled up her sleeve to see Wingding, fluttering and acting like she was jabbing some invisible foe with her wingtips. “Alright dear, we need to go for a spin! Let’s make it happen!”

Wingding did a small loop in the air on her skin, then saluted her with one wing. Fiona took a deep breath, trying to think of that giant X she’d taped on the ground, in the store. Her one safe place, that no one was going to take from her again.

There was a blast of air, a surge of light, and by the time she opened her eyes, she was back in the store, the arcane lights dimmed slightly before they winked back to full strength. The hardwood floor bore a slight scorch mark around her, and Bonnie was–frazzled, and staring at her with goggles, and a few other devices whirring, recording the event.

“Whoa. that’s interesting. It pushed a few papers out of the circle!” Bonnie grinned madly and gave Fiona a hug of joy. “It works!”

“I knew it would! I don’t feel dizzy like last time–maybe it just takes a little getting used to.” She also booped Bonnie on the nose. “By the way, I know.”

“Know…what?”

“Oh, you know.” Bonnie gritted her teeth.

“You got Greg to talk. Damn it, girl, I was trying so hard to be subtle!” Bonnie gripped her hat, and let out a groan. “Now, I’m gonna reset this thing to watch, and tell Greg when he gets back, that he’s so dead.”

“Hey, he held out, and I figured it out by myself!” She couldn’t stop the leering grin emerge from her face, and Bonnie growled playfully. “You two are so cute together, by the way.”

“I’m a grown woman, not ‘cute’, by the way! Plus, I think you have a thing for me.”

“Bonnie, I love people with strong personalities.” Fiona figured she shouldn't keep Greg waiting. “But, I can tell you’ve had a thing for Greg for a while. He is dependable, and a lot more down-to-Cepalune than me.”

Bonnie examined a cylindrical device and placed it back into a mount where it pointed at Fiona, already rubbing her hands together in anticipation. “Now, Fiona, when you teleport back, I want to see if you come to the exact same spot. Greg, did you get that?”

“Yes, I did. Still on the call. Listening awkwardly,” he added dryly. Bonnie’s ears went on edge, and she cleared her throat.

“Yeah. I guess this fox is out of the bag. As they say.”

“Remind me to dunk this elf in the lake, if I can ever catch her.” Fiona laughed at the utterly toothless threat, and pictured the spot where she’d just been.

She could not only feel the spot like there was a magnetic pull on her being, but she could almost see the spot. She could see a faint echo of the street. Of Greg, standing there calmly, with his arcanist pad in hand. But there was a fog beyond several meters–like she couldn’t envision beyond that. She closed her eyes. “Bonnie this is some extra-sensory remote viewing. I can see the spot where I was, sort of. Like someone using a sonogram. It’s a little disorienting!” She stopped focusing on the remote spot, but she could see a hint of the location in her mind. "Wow. It's like I have an arcane lens on demand at that spot."

“Ooh, that’s interesting. On three, Greg!” Bonnie called out and gave Fiona a finger count.

At three, she blinked, and was back on the street, with Greg scribbling notes. “You reappeared at the same spot. Impressive! Bonnie, she’s back, at the egress point. I could see an echo, a shimmer in the air, but it faded over time. What does that mean?”

“I think she creates a temporary connection point to where she departed. Next time we try this, we should see if it lasts indefinitely, or if there’s a time limit!” Bonnie sounded excited. “Next time, try further out!”

Several minutes later, Fiona ascertained a few important things. Distance didn’t seem to be any obstacle, and resulted in the same slight feeling of fatigue, no more of a tax than running at full sprint for a minute. She also learned that she could shift position from the original spot in the shop, and snap back to the egress point without fail. Greg quickly took notes as they toured through the now-darkened sky, scaring a few passersby.

“This is official mage guild business, this is all part of a controlled and very safe test!” he called out, and a few elderly otterkin shrugged and said something about reckless youth. She wasn’t reckless! Or youthful. Then again compared to the rest of the elves she’d seen in town…she did register as pretty young. After a few more tries to teleport back and forth rapidly, there seemed to be some physical block–and a bit of a radiating pain that grew more and more through her nerves, the quicker in succession she did the round trip. After the third time, she waved to Greg, panting.

“Okay. There’s a limiter. I shouldn’t do that in rapid succession.” A quick scribble from him, and she was resting her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath, feeling that fiery pain in her nerves fading. “I’m pretty sure that’s telling me there is a safe limit to it.”

“Indeed. Distance doesn’t seem to impact the result. Nor does shifting position. But the echo gets weaker, the longer you’re away. I think there is indeed, a time limit to teleport back...or you’ll be walking back.” He pointed to the ground, where there was a knocked-over construction marker he’d borrowed. “You also ‘push’ things away when you re-emerge. So, teleporting into something seems a remote possibility.”

“Magical science, baby! Now, we should probably head back, and go out with Bonnie to McFly's. You game?”

He smiled faintly. “I could go for a bowl of noodles, right about now. It’s Bonnie's new favorite, too. But…let’s not talk about work or scheming kings. Let’s keep it casual.”

“Hah. You're capable of casual? Man, that’s a more cosmic-level event than me showing up.”