Chapter 1: The Arrival

"Our intentions are peaceful, and I think I speak for all of us when I say that all we seek is a way home." Novac looked around for his companions to agree.

Al nodded in agreement with Novac.

He turned to bow to Jashi.

"Thank you, Jahsi. We would be honored to meet with your daughter. I am Al, of the ... er ... suburban clan."

Al managed to stifle a groan. "Why was that the only thing I could think of?"

Dalton slowly lowered his hands as things relaxed. He let the others do the talking as they were pretty much saying what needed to be said. He was just happy not to get anymore blood on his already ripped clothing.

With a couple of blinks and an amused expression on her face, AJ glanced over at Al.

I'm not sure how I would begin to express where I'm from, but that certainly isn't it. Either way, this is very good. Good ol' fantasy land hospitality. Unless this is some kind of trap and they're actually cannibals or something... Why did I have to have that intrusive thought? Maybe because of those creepy black eyes.

Her arms slowly dropped to a neutral posture as she let out a heavy sigh.

"Yeah, we don't mean harm to anyone, especially people showing us precious hospitality. We are as unfamiliar with your lands as you are ours, so I'm sorry for our ignorance in advance."

It's not long after the group begins following the Ekujae closely that AJ is already panting again. I didn't have very good stamina before the change either. Finally arriving at their destination, she rests her hands on her knees before looking up at the tree village in awe. This was easily the more wondrous than anything she had ever seen in the world before. Another intrusive thought in the back of her mind nagged at her. I come into this world as some kind of pyromancer only for the first civilization to literally be made of trees. That's not uncomfortable at all. Fortunately, she's distracted from the line of thinking by the greetings of the staff-wielding elf.

"I'm AJ..." With both people introducing themselves as of some clan or another, I'm starting to feel naked in these introductions. Maybe I should be AJ of the Flame or something? I feel like that sounds goofy. "Thank you and your people so much for having us here. Your lands are beautiful, although harsh to those unprepared to find themselves here. We are lucky that Jahsi found us. Would you happen to be the daughter he mentioned?"

"Nice to meet you, Nketiah. So, where do we come from? I can tell you one thing: it's not here. Some of us aren't even what we were. We found ourselves waking up in what looked like a temple. After talking, we discovered we'd each been taken from our own worlds, pulled through some kind of tunnel. We not only arrived in a completely alien world, but we all seem to have changed, some more drastically than others." Novac paused, taking in the scenery. "As beautiful as it is, I, for one, want to find a way home."

Dalton moved along easily with the hunters, no sign of the asthma or allergies which plagued him in his real life as they covered miles of jungle. Despite the strange new world and leaving everything behind, this dream had some advantages. Remembering the giant tick which tried to chew his leg off, there were definitely drawbacks as well. He wondered if his body still laid in the driveway - or even if time was passing or this was just a dream played out in an instant.

"Golarion?? I've never heard of that. Is that the name of your country or your world?"

Dalton looked up at the tree village. Definitely something right out of one of his fantasy novels.

"OK I guess we ha e to go up" Novac says smiling as he goes to follow their hosts. And immediately falls on his bum. "I must be more tired than I thought i was. Let's try that again."

Dalton watched their hosts disappear into the trees. He was distracted by something they said. "Anyone else surprised that she just casually accepted that we dropped out of the sky from another world?"

Watching Novac fall a couple of times. "I wonder if they have an elevator for us fat people..." he paused for a second and then laughed "I guess I have to stop saying stuff like that. Still - would be more welcoming I think if there were some stairs."

He looked at the branches for a moment longer - then gave it a try - bounding up the tree, grabbing a couple of branches - and swinging up.

"I've never seen anything like it, this place is amazing."

Al introduced himself to Nketiah and the rest of her kinsman as they began climbing the trees.

"Wait up! I have a lot of questions about this Golarion."

Novac glanced at Dalton, a flush rising on his cheeks. "I'm usually much better at this," he admitted, a hint of frustration in his voice. "Back home, this sort of thing never happened. It's practically what I do." Strange world, he thought, the unfamiliar sights and sounds pressing in on him. Strange people. Golarion, their home for the foreseeable future, at least. It was a lot to process.

"Not unpredented? A feast in our honor? I- Okay, I guess?"

Her face contorted with bewilderment at the explanation from the proclaimed master of knowledge. Somehow, the fact that people would host a feast for her simply showing up felt more unbelievable than screaming fire or being teleported to another world.

"Nah, this is definitely weird. I keep waiting for some dramatic shoe to drop, but watch the universe laugh at me as I'm forced to live out the rest of my days here uneventfully."

After blinking a few times and getting her bearings again, AJ looks over at Novac.

"Maybe we can give each other a lift? Would be awkward for one of us to get stuck down here."

"Let me see if there is something up here to help..."

Dalton being the only one who had so far made the climb looked around from his vantage to see if there was any rope ladders or ropes to lower down to the others. He also looked for any place which looked easier or a place where he could reach down to help grab someone and pull them up.

Novac, having recovered from his initial embarrassment, glanced in surprise at the clothes laid out for him. "This is odd," he remarked. "I was already taken aback by how readily they accepted our story, but I figured, 'Magic and similar things...they must have encountered it before.' But now, they've provided clothes for us already." He scanned the room. "It's as if they were expecting us." Or, he mused, perhaps they're the ones who brought us here. He quickly washed, dressed, and exited his room to explore.

The mocking smiles didn't bother AJ much. It must have been a funny sight to people who likely learned to climb these trees alongside learning how to walk. She was just excited at the prospect of sitting down with some sense of security. Then again, can I ever feel secure again after being casually ripped from one universe and sent to another?

"It's a weird world with weird creatures and likely weird people in it. I'll just take what comforts I can get so that I hopefully won't miss the ones I don't have any more as much."

Her tone was somber, but she pushed herself into a room to try not going down that rabbit hole of thought. Sitting down on the bed, her eyes lingered on her hands once more. Normally, the quiet solitude would only allow her thoughts to run rampant, but the hands that felt so different than before provided plenty of distraction. They reached up, sliding along her cheeks and moving to her scalp. One thing remained in her mind: the reflection she saw in the river water of the Mwangi Jungle. There was no mistaking it.

I'm beautiful.

Her hands slid back into view, pulsing with heat.

I'm powerful.

Her eyelids fell, masking the room with darkness. In that meditative silence, the warmth grew in her chest.

I may be going back, but who's to say I shouldn't revel in how wonderful I've become? This is me. And who I am right now makes me feel like I could sprout wings and fly. I will make the most of this.

Opening her eyes again, a shadow on the floor greeted her. Contrasting her new, lithe form, that blot of darkness was a more masculine, heavier figure. Staring back at her, wings stretched out to either side of it. A delighted grin stretched on to her face. After washing up and donning the fresh clothes, AJ sauntered out of her room to join the others. The crumpled pile of fabric from the other world stayed behind.

Dalton was happy to take advantage of a chance to wash up. He had managed to get most of the tick blood off of him at the stream, but he still felt rather disgusting. His jeans might be a total loss, but since new clothes had arrived for him, he supposed it was not too bad. He had always been self conscious about cloths, he supposed he did not need to be as concerned any more. His current form seemed to be one of those bastards which looked good in anything.

It seemed strange though. The only thing which remained of the other world was his clothes and the few items he had carried with him. If he removed those and dressed in clothes from this world, what would that leave him? Would he now entirely be Dalton - buff, strong, martial arts guy. What would happen to the old fat guy he still thought himself to be?

He held his tee shirt in front of him for a long time - the faded image of the Avengers - the words "Trust Me, I'm a Super Hero". It had always been kind of a joke since he was far from anything resembling a super hero. Maybe now he was - he certainly looked more the part than ever before. Strong, handsome, athletic... he had bounded up the tree with the ease of a gymnast. Was that who he would be in this dream world.

Dalton folded his things carefully, putting them on the table. He kept his phone, turned off though it was, as he dressed in the provided clothing. Despite the promised feast, Dalton was hungry, so he helped himself to the fresh fruit on the table.

Finally as ready as he thought he might be, he left the room to look around the tree city. If this was a dream, it was amazing. If it was not, well he had no idea what to do if it was not.