"Well, I s'ppose that's fair." Charolette said, shrugging. Man, did people start shrugging all the time just recently, or is it the same as ever, and I'm only now paying attention to it? Oh, whatever. She continued, "But it doesn't answer my question. How do you do that?" She asked. 

"Well... I make a square with my fingers?" I said, doing a little demonstration. I'm being evasive because the truth of the matter is so simple that I have no idea how to lie about it. And I'm a bit concerned that the truth might be a little hard to believe, so that's not an option, either. 

"Ah, so that's what that is. But what I'm asking is how you do it, in practical terms. Rather, how did you learn it?" She asked. Ah, there it is. Dangit, you inquisitive bastard. "Oh, and I'm not asking for free information. I'm willing to do some... Favors, if you know what I mean." She added.

Phrasing. She said that completely straight faced, so I seriously doubt she means what it would seem like she means, given her terrible choice of words. Probably just offering to make me something or other, I dunno. Still, I find that offer most intriguing... This could be useful. Hmmm... Now, how do I go about this...

"W-well, magic, I think." I defend. 

She sighed. "Yeah, figured. Still, be more specific." She pushes the advance.  

"I thought you weren't into magic?" I evade.

"Well, that's true, but... I can swallow my pride this time." She counters, her eye twitching just a bit. "Wait, how did you know that?"

CRITICAL BLOW!! 

"Someone... Told me?" I attempt to defend. Not technically a lie.

"Ah, that makes sense. Not like it's a secret, or anything." She retreats. Success! "But we're getting off track. How'd you learn to do the portal thing. How's it work?" Crap, never mind!  

"Well... To be entirely honest," I said, preparing myself to not be entirely honest, "I-I'm not really sure how it works. I-I was sorta just born with it. I-It's more like it was given to me." I explained. Huzzah! That should do it. It's not a lie, by any means, no, it's basically the truth as I see it. Just a bastardization of it. Truth told in such a way that is convenient for me. So, this is what it feels like to be on a talk show. Or a podcast, maybe. That's a bit more modern. 

"Oh, really? That's disappointing." She said, looking, well, disappointed, naturally. Huzzah! "You said earlier it's a family thing, right? So, it's related to bloodline, or is it more of a tangible inheritance?" I should really stop celebrating early! "Oh, and if that's the case, does that mean your sister can do it, too?"  

Man, that's a lotta questions. "Uh, I guess... Inheritance, probably. A-and, uh, Sis can't do it. S-She took more after our mother. D-Different thing. Other... Stuff..." Yeah, that's probably fine. 

"Ah, that makes sense." Barely. "Hmm, what's your family like, anyways?"

Man, they just don't stop comin', do they? "Oh... Y'know... Up in the... Mountains... Or something..." It's a good thing my voice is pretty flat, making it harder to hear the sheer uncertainty in my voice. Though, I doubt it helps all that much, to be honest...

"Oh, so it's, like, a secret, secluded thing? Like monks, or something?"

"Yeah, like monks or something." That's probably sort of believable. Yeah. For sure.  

She paused for a moment, after that, seemed to be deep in thought about something. Ah crap, please don't ask about Sis, or something, I have no idea what to say about that, it'd sink this whole-

"So there, like, an inbreeding thing going on, or..."

I CHANGED MY MIND, PLEASE ASK ABOUT THAT OTHER THING! WAIT, NO- "What the hell, Charolette." If I were capable of producing a look of sheer and utter disgust, believe me, I would be right now. 

"What? It's not that uncommon."

Eh! Ew! I mean, I guess, given the time period... Still! C'mon! "Moving on from that, please." 

"Fine... Uh, what else can you tell me about your family? Like, where are they, oh, and what's your last name, for that matter? I might be able to find something interesting if I looked into it..." 

Man, she holds nothing back, does she? At this rate, we'll be talking 'till dinnertime...

Haah... Man, now that I'm here, I was hoping I'd never need to... Ah well. For Zramazos's sake, one last time couldn't hurt. That much, anyways.

. . .

Whew...

I looked up at her. Recalling it, I almost felt like I was going to throw up, or like some sort of parasite was digging into my stomach.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." I said, with practiced intent and precision.

I always hated doing it, but what happens afterwards always made it sting that much more. 

She looked down me, her face of twisting, contorting just a little, her eyes open just a little wider, her lips just slightly parted. I think unconsciously, she took just a little step back. I looked down at the ground. I didn't like to linger more than I needed to. 

"O-oh... I-I see." She said, a little wearily. 

. . .

"Anything else you wanted to know?" I said, trying to wrap this up quickly.

"O-oh, uh, yeah... Anything else you're able to tell me, I guess..." She said, slowly regaining her composure.

I'm pretty sure we're just retreading on old territory, but, whatever. I'll just say some sci-fi mumbo jumbo, that'll probably satisfy her. "W-well, I don't think it's molecular reconstruction, or anything like that, more like a tear in space, like space folding in on itself. N-Now, I'm not too familiar, but I think that the 'wormhole' o-or 'portal' thing from earlier was pretty close." 

"I see." She said, still a little apprehensive. "Wait, you know what molecules are?"

"Uh... Kinda, anyways." Honestly, I'm more surprised that she knows what molecules are. Just how far has science gotten in this world? I mean, I come from a world where we aren't burdened by the knowledge that monstrous beasts and crap could pop up and tear our throats out, plus all that magic and crap, and I barely know what molecules are. Well, I mean, I kinda know. There's a whole table of 'em, right? Or, wait, is that atoms? Which is the small one again? I know that one is part of the other, but... Ah, man, my science teachers would be so disappointed in me right now... Well, it's not my fault their subject's lame.

"Huh. Cool." She said. Hardly.

. . .

Well, guess now as good a time as any.

"N-Now, about those favors you mentioned earlier..." I said. She looked just a little weary as I said that. Which was fair, but, "I just have a few questions, myself. Quid pro quo, as they say."

"Quid pro what?"

What? C'mon, that's- Ah, well, I guess they probably wouldn't know Latin, would they? "Uh, n-never mind. I just, uh, got a few questions. N-Nothing weird, don't worry." I attempted to reassure.

"Alright. Go ahead."

"Well, first off," Ah, how do I word this... Oh, whatever, "what was all that earlier? With all the, y'know, blushing and stuff?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, that. Don't know, really, I just got really hot all of a sudden... Oh! Uh, did you happen to have a plant that looks like what Michaus probably thinks flowers look like? The ones that smell all weird?"

"Oh, the purple ones?" The things Zramazos was picking earlier. "Y-yeah, I think Sis was carrying some." Yeah, I handed them to her when I was freshening up Zramazos. Now that I'm thinking about it, I never did take them back, did I? Oops.

Charolette opened her mouth to say something, but, 

"OH, THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE!" We heard Sis shout from way over there.

. . .

"What was that about?" Charolette asked.

"No idea."

"Uh, alright... Anyways, yep, them's the ones. Yeah, real allergic to those. Nothing particularly dangerous, face just kinda burns up when I smell 'em." 

"Oh, uh, s-sorry about that." Ah, that makes sense. Kind of a weird allergic reaction, though. I'll neglect to mention that Zramazos was grabbing them, I think. "B-but what was with all the y'know, phrasing and stuttering and all that?"

"Well, geez, forgive me for not being able to maintain perfect eloquence when my face feels like it's on fire. Allergies are no joke, man."

"T-That's fair, I guess. B-But why didn't you mention this back then?"

"Eh, it's not that bad."

So which is it?! "I see."

"Lastly..." Well, no real way to word this one subtly. Time to pry for information I have no right knowing! Woooo! "What do you think about Zramazos?"

"Huh? That's an odd question. Well, I'd have to say, he's easily in my top 3 favorite people! He's so helpful!" She explained.

That's... Not really the answer I'm looking for... "But, like, beyond that, how do you... Feel about him?"

She seemed rather confused by my question. Which is fair, it's a pretty confusing question. "Well... I think he's pretty great. Really great. I don't really know what I'd do without him, honestly. Don't get me wrong, Michaus and the others are good too, but..." Oh? Is this it? C'mon, keep going keep going... "Zramazos is the best! I wish I could just stuff him in my closet for easy access!" 

"I see." What is this, even? Tool zoned? Well, regardless, I'd say Zramazos's chances are favorable. Probably.

'Course, I've had little to no romantic experience myself, but I'm a big fan of the genre. I've got a pretty good idea as to how these things work.

Alright, that's all I needed. Now, time to hopefully say something productive. "One last thing. Make sure to hear Zramazos out, alright?" 

She looked confused, for a moment, and then shrugged. "Alright. Though, I like to think I do a pretty good job at that already." 

Somehow, I doubt that, but I'll keep that to myself.

. . .

"Oh, and, uh, you should probably tell Zramazos about your allergy." Now, that'd be an awkward situation.