She gasped for air when she woke up, taking wild glances around the room. She was still in the healer's tent and now perched on a wooden chair made for giants.

The humming children were gone. The wooden table on the corner was left cluttered with opened scrolls. She found it odd that inside of its tent had a floor made of dampened black soil. She could have sworn the previous tents she had been in had stones or clay for its floors.

She rolled her shoulders and rubbed the sleep off her eyes. No one was in the room but there was a pressure in her scalp and it continued to rub around in circles. The pressure deepened and she discovered it was someone's bony fingers rubbing on her scalp, pulling the roots of her hair with sharp tugs. "What's happening?" she licked her lips "What are you doing to my hair?" the old woman behind her was taking great pains to brush her hair with bare hands.

"This ebony hair is not like what it used to. I will bring it back."

She gulped, "That's not really what I'm having a problem with. Really, I would be happy to have a little something for sore muscles and I'll be good to go."

"No. You are too sick. I can tell by the state of your hair."

"I assure you it is not a proble-"

"Hair is the crown of the head, teh? You will be fit to be presented to nobody in this state. No wonder his highness forgot his manners."

River remembered the impolite encounter, rolling her eyes, "I honestly don't know why he would think it's ok to treat any normal person the way he did this morning."

The old woman gave a harsh tug backwards and grunted, "You have no crown. It is indecent, teh?"

"I don't know why the hell would that even matte-" her protest died when she found a large-frame mirror made of gold being dragged across the room to sit right in front her. The elder made an impatient snap and two children poked their heads out from behind the mirror then began scurrying to the front entrance with their orange capes swirling behind them in their haste.

She stood abruptly, her eyes glued to the girl who also stood as she did. Turning her head from side to side, she studied how her midnight hair was pulled up in a crown braid and how her skin was blooming in an impossible glow.

It had never looked like this before.

She studied her arms, it was the warmest shade of golden brown "You made me beautiful." she said, feeling fresher than ever.

"Not at all. I made you healthy." she announced as a matter of fact then pulled River's shoulder, making her sit back down and continued her careful minstrations on what used to be a curly mess of a hair that cannot be tamed "Do not expect anything less from a healer such as Hell'ina."

She was a healer, all right. She frowned at the spots where her scars had disappeared, it used to be her badges of honor back when she was getting used to the Ylein Mountain trails. Freckles and acne had vanished and in its place was a coppery bronze color of healthy smooth skin. Unbelievably soft to the touch.

"This is unreal" staring at the mirror, in awe at how her black hair gleamed in freshness looking new, it was tugged in a tight braid around her head shaped like a crown. But the sheer lightness and volume of it made her feel like a pampered princess.

"Every inch of you was caked in mud, little one." she said, criticizing. "Here, the muscles behind your knees were stretched thin. It will take some time to heal, teh?"

She rolled her shoulders and found no aches. Stretching her neck, she found the air was filled in the clinical smell of vanilla, giving her ideas about chocolate-dipped bagels and heavenly baths after a long day's work. She sighed, smiling gratefully, "Thank you. This means a great deal to me."

She waved a dismissive hand. "They call me Hell'ina. It means a force of transformation, do you see?" she said, raising River's arm up to her eye-level.

"I definitely see that." At a closer look, there was a shimmer on her skin like a night sky with star-filled golden lights. "Tiny glitters."

Hell'ina chuckled, "It is the healing salve for your muscles. The golden-silver spots come from the bark of an old tree grown at the south sun tribe. When you put it on, it gives the skin a wonderful glow like the stars from the sky, teh?" Then she rolled River's arm slowly to a different angle by the light, and she sat breathless at how the dotted spots on her skin gleamed silver to gold.

"It's wonderful." she uttered under her breath, closing her eyes and willing herself to not be dazzled by its shiny luster. Back in her world, beauty and terror seemed to always go hand-in-hand. "But I don't have any idea how I passed out just now. This is twice in a row, and I never pass out. Ever." It was worrying that every time she did so, she didn't get to wake up outright to her own familiar room. If this isn't a nightmare, then what is it? she shuddered to think what the other option would be. If she was skirting on the edges of a psychosis then Dr. Malia would have told her. Right?

Hell'ina took a moment to stab and press flowers into her braided hair, "Stranger things have happened to behagthis before. We are accustomed and almost anticipate your body's adverse reactions to the Great World. Everything is different, teh?"

"You have no idea."

She grinned, seeming to devote her time in choosing colored flowers that would go well in her black hair, "Different is a defining trait for behagthis."

"You seem to be the only one who isn't spooked by my appearance." she said, noting how Hell'ina opted to put purple and white flowers as a wreath around her braid.

Satisfied, she softened with a smile that smoothed her old age away "That is because behagthis harbor change, and I am a force of transformation, teh?" she chuckled, "Not only one behagthi has arrived. But, two. You are the second to arrive. And, little girl," she said, pausing in her flower crown arrangement, "A single behagthi can change the tide of war let alone create a lone religion from scratch. Much too power there. The tribe is afraid of what sort of chaos can happen. Too unpredictable."

River stared at her from the mirror.

Hell'ina was growing pensive, both arms dropping to her sides. "Nothing like this has ever happened before. We fear the Great World has something in store for us. One that is not written in the prophecies like it always has been. Scary, teh?"

River met Hell'ina's eyes in the mirror, "I'm not looking to change anything."

Her reply was sharp, "It is not a matter of intention."

"What is it, then?"

"The answers you are looking for have long eluded us for thousands of yours. All we know is that if the Great World wills it, then it will happen for us no matter what."

"What do you mean by the Great World?"

She breathed an impatient sigh, bending down from the waist to speak next to River's ear while holding her gaze in the mirror, "The Great World is the water from oceans, the air we breath keeping us alive. It is the soil and rocks that hold us in this life and the fire that keeps us warm on a cold night."

The idea sounded way too familiar. "Where I come from, we call that Mother Nature."

She cackled in delight, "Natura Brumcia? You have her in your world, too. Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise."

Gulping, she stood up when the work was done, "I just wish everything made sense."

"You make it sound like you are entitled to it, little girl."

"I'm a grown adult. A grown woman. Everything should be making sense. Science, community, movies, food and culture make so much sense to me. It helps me cope. It keeps me safe. I work very hard to earn my place in my world but here, this is.. This is just-" she stuttered, blanking on a loss of words from her rising panic.

"Ah. You are not used to living with fear."

She nodded, biting her bottom lip.

"I fear that anything I can say will prove nothing to help you. A common adverse reaction to behagthis are homesickness. But I can leave you with this." she handed her a curvy bottle made with glass. The watery liquid inside was dark blue with silver and gold spots freckling it like a night sky. "Put this on your skin before you sleep. To help you with sores and pain. And no, you cannot drink it. Trust me, you won't like how it tastes. I make it special, too. Put in some of those violet berries my sun prince likes so much, what is it called?" scratching her head, "Bah, it's called something I can't remember. Eureka, yes. Eureka berries is what it's called. A good whiff of it helps one to sleep, teh? It will be good for you."

"Uh, I can't take this. It's too much. I don't have anything to give back."

"Hush, little girl, behagthis are a gift. We do what we can to help people like you on your way to saving the Great World. Now go on to En'tum. Make sure to mention that our sacred goddess Natura Brumcia graces your own world." she mumbled, while ushering her outside. "It will go a long way to stop the tribe from being frightened. It's time we help our behagthi. Put her on her way to destiny. Brumcia only wishes the best for us and it sometimes don't look pretty. Oh, and don't forget your package." she said, handing her the leather-wrapped weapon before pushing her outside

U'tu was there waiting at the front across the door, grinning like a trickster devil, "Allow me to show you to the smithery."

River nodded, thinking about how she made sure to never give the first impression that she was a doormat. But being pushed around like this, she wasn't sure if it came across. When it came to kids, she didn't want to be difficult.

The streets were empty, and there were no signs of the others "Where are your friends?" River asked.

"At their classes. Lei'la really wanted to come along but," he shrugged, "she needs more lessons."

"And what about you? I'd hate for you to miss your lessons."

"No need, River" he said, looking back over his shoulder with a cocky grin "I'm already the best."

She returned his smile, thinking back on how she herself kept making trouble as a kid.

At this point, she was in no position to scold a kid for playing hooky. God knows she did it oftentimes than what was sensible. She missed those days. She had friends back then. It was a time when they had lived for the thrill of danger, making fools of know-it-all older kids, and—

She frowned, looking overhead to the blue skies filled with squawking prehistoric birds. Shielding her eyes, she watched their movements as they retreated to a far horizon until they disappeared into tiny dots, its vanishing display gave her the grave reminder that nothing would last forever. There was no use getting attached.

Whatever happens, I'll do what they need me to do, she thought. The plan is to help the sun tribespeople, and hopefully, they will return the favor in getting me back home. Basic quid pro quo. Even this universe should know the essence of trading favors, right?