A warm morning light streamed through the curtains of the girls' temporary room. The girls themselves weren't exactly fully awake, most of them still half-asleep. A few were yawning and rubbing away the tiredness from their eyes, while others were struggling to rise from the comfort of their beds.

  Despite their sluggish state, the girls knew that they had to get moving. There was an important journey waiting for them, after all. So, with a bit of groaning and some muttered complaints, the girls slowly pushed themselves out of their beds.

  Finally, after some time, the girls were all set. They looked presentable and ready to face the day. Teigen was the first to speak up, her usual energy returning.

  "All right, girls!" Teigen exclaimed, stretching her arms out with a yawn. "It's a new day, and you've got places to be!”

  "Yeah, yeah, we get it," Alice grumbled, rubbing her still drowsy eyes.

  Carmen chuckled, sipping her coffee and gesturing to the other cups of coffee on the nightstand. "Come on, ladies, a little more cheer wouldn't hurt.”

  "Easy for you to say," Rachel grunted, taking a gulp of her coffee. "Considering you're the only one fully awake right now."

  Zalgo simply shrugged in response, her usual nonchalant attitude on display.

  "You're all a bunch of whiny babies," Teigen taunted playfully, sticking her tongue out.

  However, before the girls could bicker any further, a knock at the door interrupted their conversation.

  The knock got their attention. Rachel, who was sitting closest to the door, rose from her seat, curious. She walked over and opened it, revealing the familiar face of Jali.

  "Good morning," Jali greeted the girls with a warm smile, her voice carrying a bit of energy. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important?”

  "No, no, you're fine," Rachel assured her, returning the smile. "Just the girls being their usual tired selves after waking up.”

  Jali chuckled, her eyes moving from Rachel to the other girls. "Ah, I know the feeling all too well. Early mornings can be a real struggle, can't they?”

  "You could say that again," Alice agreed, giving a wide yawn as she spoke.

  "So Jali, what brings you here so early?" Carmen inquired, raising an eyebrow.

  Jali's expression turned serious, though she still maintained her warm aura. "Actually, I came by to formally bid your friends farewell on their journey to the Ruins of Enigma.”

  The girls were all surprised by Jali's sudden statement. Their sleepy moods suddenly evaporated as they focused on her words.

  "Really, you're here for that?" Rachel asked, her curiosity piqued.

  Jali nodded, her smile still present but her eyes reflecting a hint of anticipation. "Yes, I felt that a proper send-off was due. You girls are going on quite the adventure, after all.”

  The girls exchanged glances, suddenly feeling a mix of excitement and nerves at Jali's words. They knew they were about to embark on a significant journey, but they hadn't expected a formal send-off.

  Seeing the girls' stunned faces, Jali chuckled softly. "You all look surprised. Don't be. I can't just let you girls leave without a proper farewell, can I?”

  "No, no, you definitely can't," Teigen chirped, a hint of mischief in her voice.

  Carmen rolled her eyes playfully, a smile tugging at her lips. "She's right. It would be incredibly rude to let us go without a proper goodbye."

  Carmen then turned to Alice, Rachel, and Zalgo. "By the way, before you ask, Noelle is gone. She told me to tell you three that she's sitting this adventure out to handle some "business" as she says, cryptic stuff pretty much."

  "Heh?!" Rachel exclaimed. "Then how the hell are we supposed to get there?!”

  "I have that covered," Jali responded, a smile playing at the corners of lips. "As it turns out, I have a friend who owns a personal teleportation machine. She's graciously offered to teleport you girls all the way to the Ruins of Enigma.”

  The girls exchanged bewildered glances, their surprise growing with each passing moment. A personal teleportation machine? That sounded almost too good to be true.

  Teigen broke the silence first, her eyes wide with excitement. "Wait, seriously? Teleportation? Just like that?”

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  Jali chuckled at Teigen's enthusiasm. "Yes, just like that. My friend, though she's a human, is quite skilled in the realm of Volxie technology, and her teleportation device is highly reliable, I assure you. Volxie tech is the best, after all.”

  "Wait a minute," Rachel cut in, suddenly suspicious. "How do we know we can trust your friend's teleportation device? Isn't it a bit risky given that it's Volxie—"

  Her words abruptly ended after Jali interrupted.

  "You won't know until you try it," Jali said, her voice steady. "And my friend's technology is reliable. You'd be surprised at what we Volxies have to offer in the tech sector. Especially when it comes to these types of situations.”

  There was a moment of tense silence as the girls considered Jali's words. The idea of trusting some random girl’s technology was a little concerning, even if she's a human just like them. But their desire to get to the Ruins of Enigma quickly overcame their doubt.

  "I mean, if it gets them there faster..." Teigen mused, her excitement returning.

  Carmen nodded, seeing the logic in Teigen's words. "Yeah, I suppose it's worth a shot. We can't really argue with Volxie tech.”

  "Exactly," Jali confirmed with a satisfied smile. "My friend's teleportation machine is top tier tech, and your journey through it will be swift and painless. You won't even have time to blink before you're at the Ruins of Enigma.”

  That statement caught the girls off guard, their eyes wide with surprise. Teigen, never one to hold back her thoughts, spoke up. "Wait, you mean we won't even feel a thing? No motion sickness, no weird sensations, nothing?”

  Jali nodded, reaffirming her words. "That's correct. The teleportation process is so fast and seamless that you won't have time to feel any of those effects. You'll be at the Ruins of Enigma in the blink of an eye, without any discomfort or negative side effects. Now let's get you girls going, shall we?”

  The girls exchanged glances, excitement beginning to outweigh their earlier apprehension.

  Rachel was the next to speak. "All right then. I guess we're doing it.”

  Carmen nodded in agreement, her nerves a mix of anticipation and uncertainty. "Yeah, I guess we are."

  Zalgo shrugged, her usual coolness on full display. "Well, let's get this show on the road then.”

  Jali chuckled at the girls' reactions, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Splendid. Come with me, girls. I'll take you to my friend's teleportation machine.”

  The girls quickly packed up the rest of their things, making sure they had everything they needed. Jali stood by the door, waiting patiently as the girls got ready.

  "Ready?" Jali asked, her tone both soft and excited.

  The girls exchanged a final nod, their nerves mixed with eager anticipation. "Ready as we'll ever be," Rachel replied, speaking for the group.

  Jali smiled, satisfied with the girls’ responses. "Then let's get moving."

  With that Jali ushered the girls out of their room and down the hallway.

  The girls followed Jali, their footsteps echoing softly within the hall. As they made their way towards the teleportation machine, the anticipation within them grew stronger with each step.

  The girls' thoughts were a mix of curiosity and nervousness. They had no idea what to expect from the teleportation machine or the journey they were about to embark on. All they knew was that it would take them to the Ruins of Enigma, and that was good enough.

  After a few minutes of walking, the group arrived at a small, unassuming building. The exterior was made of shiny metallic alloys, and it stood out among the more traditional structures nearby. Jali stopped in front of the building and turned to face the girls, a small smile on her face.

  "Here we are," Jali said, gesturing towards the building. "This is my friend's teleportation room. The machine is right inside.”

  The girls approached the building, their eyes fixed on the shiny metallic interior. The anticipation was growing stronger by the second. Alice was the first to speak up. "This is it? It doesn't look much bigger than a closet.”

  Jali chuckled softly. "Appearances can be deceiving. Don't let its size fool you. The machine itself may take up a modest amount of space, but its capabilities are anything but modest. All you have to do is step in, input the commands, and you're all set.”

  Teigen tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "Input the commands? How does that work? Do we have to push a bunch of buttons or something?”

  Jali shook her head. "No, no buttons to press. The machine is operated through a touch-screen interface. All you have to do is simply type in the coordinates of your desired destination, which in this instance, is the Ruins of Enigma, and the teleporter will take care of the rest.”

  "Oh, that sounds pretty easy..." Rachel mused, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

  Jali nodded in agreement. "It is. The interface is very user-friendly, and it guides you through the process step by step. You won't have any trouble with it, I assure you.”

  Alice leaned closer, her eyes wide with a combination of fear and excitement. "Very well...Let's give it a whirl.”

  Jali smiled warmly. "Excellent decision. Follow me, girls."

  She then grasped the silver handle of the building door and pulled, the entrance opening inward. With a quick flick of a switch, the room was illuminated with bright white light. The interior was small, and in the center stood a small podium-like machine.

  The girls entered the room, their senses assaulted by the bright light from the overhead lighting. The machine drew their attention as it stood at the center of the room. They approached the machine, taking in every detail possible; it was a simple yet impressive construct - silver in color, its smooth form sleek and spotless. At the top was a small screen, waiting to provide instructions to anyone who stepped in.

  "Now then, please enter your coordinates," Jali softly instructed.

  Alice stepped up and typed in the coordinates as told. The next thing they knew, the machine was starting up, and the interior lights began to shift, the bright white gradually becoming a purple light.

  The girls were a little startled by the change in lighting, but continued to focus on the machine.

  With a final soft hum, the machine settled into a soft, steady whir. A prompt on the screen in front of the girls appeared - "Ready to teleport? Confirm and proceed.”

  The girls looked at each other, their nerves at an all time high. Rachel nodded and pressed "Confirm”

  As the girls pressed the prompt on the screen, the light in the machine grew more intense, as if taking the group's energy within. They braced themselves for the unknown experience that was about to begin.

  The next moment, the machine's interior was enveloped in a blindingly brilliant beam of light. In that instant, Alice, Rachel, and Zalgo vanished in thin air.

  Jali witnessed the teleport, a satisfied smile on her face. The machine settled down, the light returning to a soft, steady glow.

  "And they're off," she murmured.