Another You is Three Steps Away | Glowfic Constellation

"...People won't bother folks in sleeping bags in alleys? The cold is less of a problem for me, but homeless weren't exactly looked upon kindly, where I remember being from."

"Yeah people will bother use. Can your magic get us a house tonight?"

"Nope. Can't spawn houses out of nowhere. Even if there were space around here."

"Then I'm sleeping on the street, like it or not. You could still see if a church will have you for the night."

"Wait for me to warm you up at least. 'Nother five minutes."

"Yeah."

Watching someone else write is really kind of boring, isn't it?

After another few minutes, Wendy looks at Sheila, touches the paper in front of her, and Sheila is now comfortably, cozily warm despite the autumn weather. "I'm off. I'll be back here in an hour or two. Thanks for being a sort of guide."

"You're welcome. Later."

Off to the army surplus store. (They really do have lots of well-made, cheap stuff, this is a rich place...)

She manages not to be accused of theft this time. Rather than try to find a church she just goes back to Sheila with the sleeping bag and a canteen and sits down nearby and writes.

Eventually Sheila gets to sleep.

The next morning, "You were going to introduce me to some folks who can make money off magic without involving police, yeah?"

"Yeah. This way"

Sheila leads Wendy to an apartment building.

"Someone's going to have to explain how to get around, how to find a library, at some point..."

In the apartment building, Sheila explains the situation to a muscular man with tattoos. He threatens Wendy not to "make trouble for Leon" and suggests that he can introduce her to someone named Pearl, who Sheila explains is "one of the biggest criminal wizards in America".

She suspects this is largely bluffing, but plays along.

(She's preparing defenses and nonlethal knockouts again as they talk.)

He gives her directions to a house in a slightly more spacious part of town, with a small not-very-well-kept garden.