"You're back."

"Am I always not?"

"You seem to be in a joyous mood today. Anything interesting that might have happened?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary, Mordo. Just an encounter with a few beasts, that's all."

"Beasts? I don't think these creatures can uplift any one's spirit such as yours."

"Well, not only that. I had to fend off these beasts because someone got themselves in a bit of trouble. Fortunately, I made it in time and after that, she offered her own gratitude by inviting me to tea, which is quite nice really."

"Pray tell, who is this 'she' you speak of?"

"A friend."

"You've had your fill?"

Centered on the empty training grounds of Kamar-Taj, Wong stood patiently for Strange. When he said they would venture first thing in the morning, he wasn't lying at all and if there was one thing Wong learned since his servitude in the Master of the Mystic Arts, it was practicing great aptitude in the simple things and one of those include being punctual. It was imperative for every sorcerer, apprentice and novice alike to exercise the same custom as one of the many teachings by the Ancient One. Being under her tutelage was the greatest privilege anyone could ever have and Wong was eternally grateful for it. Regardless of what happened up until now, there were no regrets and no setbacks of his firm decision to protect what was left to protect in their hands:

The Time Stone.

On the other hand, Doctor Strange walked over to Wong, stepping out of the Kamar-Taj library. Dressed in his standard blue robes, it signified he was ready for the journey ahead. To be up this early reminded him of his old days as a surgeon when there was a dire emergency and he was needed for the operation. Sometimes, he would be called in at such short notice that he swore he only had a few hours of sleep. Throughout his entire career, Stephen knew well what he needed to expect; if a patient needed a surgical procedure, he's the perfect man for the job.

Today, he expected nothing and he wanted to keep it unprecedented for the time being.

"Well, you're up early," Strange remarked.

"A Master of the Mystic Arts does not practice tardiness, Stephen," Wong promptly lectured, a small smile crossing his lips. "You should have known that since you dedicated yourself to becoming one."

"Sorry," Strange apologized, not a sincere one at that. "I was savoring the taste of an American breakfast and you know how I like to take my time," He replied nonchalantly, eliciting a frown from the librarian.

"You're bringing that along as well?", Wong questioned, his eyes fixated on the red cloak flowing freely behind Stephen's back. For as long as he knew, the mystical artifact was one of the most peculiar things inside the Sanctum. One of the great mysteries the relic possessed was a will of its own, seemingly moving whenever and wherever it wanted. Before, Wong only observed it behind an encased glass, like an item in a museum. Now, the artifact was on the shoulders of its chosen user and it proved to be a great ally ever since.

"Why not? I figured it could go out once in a while," Strange said, the ends of the Cloak of Levitation offering Wong a small wave.

Returning a small nod to the magical relic, Wong then turned to Strange. "I have talked with Master Minoru earlier. She will be tasked to guard the Sanctum while we are away momentarily." When Wong mentioned their little exploit into the other world, her reaction was no less surprised to hear that they were paying a visit to an old friend once again. Nonetheless, Minoru accepted the responsibility as the temporary guardian of the New York Sanctum.

"Great." Strange acknowledged. Seeing Wong nod in return, the librarian stretched his left arm outwards toward the center, but before the right hand could complete the process, Strange spoke out. "About this Zecora..." Uttering that fascinating name, Wong dropped at what he was doing and looked at the Doctor. "Before we venture to whatever dimension this friend of yours resides, should I know anything about where we're going exactly? You were pretty vague on the details yesterday except for 'their world teems with magic' information."

Wong didn't respond. At least, not immediately. Unbeknownst to Strange, Wong intended to keep the information on hold until Stephen saw it all for himself. Explaining what he witnessed and encountered in the other dimension would prove to be difficult and trying to describe it to the degree of human comprehension would be troublesome, even for Wong.

"Perhaps, it would be better if I were to show you first before I impart the details you wish to know," Wong admitted.

Silence shortly followed as Doctor Strange pursed his dry lips, his gaze lowering to the Sanctum floor. Ever since breakfast, he couldn't shake off the thoughts, questions, and theories in his mind about today. A journey across space and time to meet a distant friend of his... well, friend. It was hard to think of anything else at this point, but most importantly, he didn't forget the sole purpose of the journey, which is to keep an eye out for threats lurking in this foreign world. Once the introductions were said and done, they would focus on what really mattered.

"See it to believe it, I guess," Stephen concluded, a thin line gracing his lips that could be identified as a smile.

Nodding at that, Wong finally asked, "Ready?"

With resolution in his eyes, Strange nodded firmly and said, "As I'll ever be."

With a spun of his right hand, the Sling Ring acted upon Wong's command. Immediately, an orange portal flared to life in the center of the Sanctum and within it, a new world awaited for both of them. Today was a nice change of pace, at least for Strange. His gruesome battle against a group of rogue sorcerers and a Destroyer of Worlds was quite overwhelming, even for his first time. At the end of it all, the mere fact Strange was still alive after everything he's been through proved how much he was destined to become a Master of the Mystic Arts.

Returning to his thoughts, Strange settled his eyes ahead, his gaze across the threshold of an alien world. Beyond the sparkling portal was a clear image of trees. They weren't any special kind of trees, just the kind one would normally find in a forest. Bushes and shrubs surrounded the area, along with vines that hung on the branches. What was clearly apparent, however, was the smell. God, of all things it had to be the damn smell. The rotten branches and dead leaves permeated the air and into the Sanctum, giving off an unpleasant odor.

Doctor Strange furrowed his brows, blinking a few times to make sure he wasn't in the Dream Realm.

Sadly, he was now in a world called reality.

Well, I've seen worse, Strange thought, letting out a short breath as Wong moved forward and motioned him to follow. Taking a deep breath, he trailed after the librarian before the putrid odor could fog his sense of smell any further. For a few seconds, Strange felt like Neil Armstrong, making his first descent on an inter-dimensional planet without a speck of knowledge of what it is.

Finally passing through the flickering portal, Strange saw Wong stepped to the side for a moment, next to the orange gateway. As the ground discolored his boots with mud and leaves, he took a moment to analyze what was around him. Rays of sunlight filtered through the trees, casting unshapely shadows all around them. The sounds of the forest flooded Strange's ears and what caused his eyes to widen a bit was a howl beyond the woods. From where he stood, Stephen noticed a pathway of some sort that stretched across the clearing in front of him, leading to what he assumed to be their destination.

"Eyes and ears, Strange," Wong spoke, closing the portal behind them. "This forest is nothing like the ones back on Earth. From what I've been told, an unnatural aura looms over it."

"Yeah, if the smell wasn't unnatural enough, I don't know what is," Strange muttered, not bothering to hide the sarcastic tone in his voice. "Honestly, you could've at least opened a portal directly to where your mystery friend is so we won't have to navigate our way through all of this," He said, gesturing to the mass of wildlife around them.

"A little exercise could be nice," Wong suggested, to which Strange casually rolled his eyes. Not wanting to dawdle anymore, he gestured the Doctor to follow suit as he knew the dangers that lurked around the forest. "Let's go. Her place isn't far from here and the longer we wait around, the more chances we are being hunted," He said, moving past Strange.

On the other hand, the last word instantly grabbed Strange's attention. "Hunted?", He asked, repeating the word once again. First thing in the morning and there was already something out there to kill him. "You're meaning to tell me that there is a chance we'll come across something we won't have the pleasure of meeting?"

"Very much likely if you continue to stand there", Wong expressed plainly before Strange promptly caught up to his side, the two making their way through the eerie woods.

The Cloak of Levitation glided freely behind Strange's back as he and Wong sauntered across the damp forest, ignoring the sounds around them especially the howling in the distance. The mystical relic had eyes practically everywhere, especially the backside. If something came up from behind, a sneak attack would be nearly impossible and that proved to be a prominent feature for a piece of outerwear. As both sorcerers continued on the pathway, the sounds of forest creatures became more profound and the enigmatic atmosphere seemed to have grown stronger.

Every now and then, Strange's eyes glanced left and right, seemingly wary of everything around him. Anything could be lurking behind the trees and anything could be preying on them right now. As much as possible, he wanted to be prepared in case an unexpected visitor popped in and decided to feast on them.

"So..." Stephen started, striking up a conversation while they cautiously made their way towards their destination. "I assume this is where Zecora lives?" Being fully aware of the alien world he was currently in, Strange took this moment to ask the lingering questions in his mind for the past few minutes they were walking, all the while keeping his guard up.

"Yes, but not exactly," Wong said, evoking a confused expression from the Doctor. "Her hut is located a bit further down this path, then we'll come across a certain clearing later which will lead to her place of abode."

Hut?, Strange thought. He was definitely going to remember that. From the word alone, he already had speculations about this Zecora character but what slightly bothered him was the fact she resided in a place which clearly spelled 'Danger: Keep Out'. No doubt, the sounds of the creatures resembled the ones back on Earth, but Strange had yet to come across a forest creature in this dimension and he's sure as hell didn't want that chance to happen any time soon.

"I suppose you weren't expecting our trip to be in a wilderness?"

Strange emerged from his contemplation and looked to his side. Wong riveted his eyes on him, his stern look ever present in his facial features. For a moment, the question caught Strange off guard. True, he didn't expect to find himself walking through a wasteland at first morn. After recollecting his thoughts, Strange said, "Honestly, I wasn't expecting anything at all," He revealed. "You wanted me to see everything for myself, didn't you?"

Wong simply nodded before adding, "And what do you make of it?"

"Without the horrible smell, I'd say I'm pretty enthralled for the past few minutes," Strange said dryly, as Wong almost chuckled at the reply. "Though, I have a bad feeling we're going to run into whatever's howling in the distance."

Coincidentally, an ear-splitting howl echoed through the forest, sounding as if to remind them of their presence. During one of his visits, Wong remembered how those creatures function; they prowl on their prey as a group and close in for the kill just like how those animals on Earth hunt. Unfortunately, Wong and the rest of the Master of the Mystic Arts weren't any typical prey to be underestimated.

"We've had a few encounters with the vicious creatures before, but they are nothing compared to the threats we face," Wong stated, his voice fueled by a mixture of strength and firmness.

Strange acknowledged the strength in Wong's tone. Clearly, his librarian friend wasn't a man to be trifled with and he needed to remind himself to not get on his bad side every now and then.

"And before I completely forget..." Strange said as Wong turned his gaze to him. "Since you've been here and all, do you mind telling me where we are exactly?" Strange inquired, his full attention directed at Wong. He had that question at the back of his mind for quite a while, but he never had the chance to open it up. Now's any a good time to know where their whereabouts as Strange felt they were going to be here far longer than they intended to be.

"The Everfree Forest."

Using his index finger, Doctor Strange inserted it in his left ear and rubbed its insides so as to clean any dirt that might have obstructed his hearing correctly. After a few good seconds, Strange dropped his hand to the side and focused all of his incredulity and bewilderment on Wong.

"Run that by me again?"

"The Everfree Forest."

As blunt and straightforward Wong could be, Strange didn't need an ear doctor specialist to know what he heard. "Everfree?", He repeated, pausing at each syllable to make sure he said it right. Frankly, he's heard more unconventional names in the past—Cauldron of the Cosmos, Book of Cagliostro, Brazier of Bom'Galiath, Wand of Watoomb—just to name a few.

"Correct," Wong said, turning to Strange.

"And Zecora is aware that she's living in a forest full of creatures with the intent of eating her, right?" Strange asked, voicing his concern over the matter.

"You don't need to worry," Wong replied before turning away, his attention focused ahead. "She's a herbalist. Her potions can fend off any beastly creature she may have the misfortune of coming across."

Herbalist? Potions? Now, Strange was beginning to gain new information he never heard of. The first thing that came into his mind was the word 'shaman'; people who divulge themselves in the mystical world of good and evil spirits. In addition, they were also the kind of people who practice divination and healing, making them somewhat of a doctor in their own right.

"If I were to be honest, she reminds me of you."

Stephen furrowed his brow, sounding intrigued. "And why is that?"

Without skipping a beat, Wong spun his head in the direction of Strange and said, "She's just like you."

Confused at first, Stephen pondered those words, his face scrunched up in contemplation. What did it mean? Was there something in him that bore a resemblance to Wong's mystery friend? He recalled the recent information from before. Placing all the ideas altogether, he felt his legs slow, eventually coming to a halt. Wong did so too, a few feet farther than him. Whether it was a realization or assumption, the thought slowly surfaced in his mind and when it finally occurred to him, Strange looked up.

"She's a doctor?" Stephen asked, his voice sounding astonished at the revelation.

"Somewhat, yes." A smile graced Wong's lips, the jaw on the Doctor falling slightly. "Her expertise in concocting different herbs and spices altogether to cure ailments have astonished me from time to time, a true master of her own craft."

Traditional medicine, Stephen mused. Never heard of those in a long time. Years of practice and training in his medical field had made him aware of almost every medicinal aspect there was and as a renowned physician specialized in neurosurgery, it says a lot. Throughout his entire career, learning every possible crippling affliction in the nervous system was of paramount importance, as Strange needed to know what the patient was suffering from before he could do his magic on the operating table. In this day and age, antibiotics were solely the prominent medications in curing simple diseases and to hear herbal medicine again was like a trip down memory lane.

Three minutes later down the dirt and muck, the two vigilant sorcerers traversed the forest. Both of them were as heedful as always, especially Strange. The sounds of the forest that reverberated through his ears were certainly unearthly. At the same time, he pondered on every vital piece of information explained to him. So far, he only ever knew the name of the forest and the name of his librarian friend, namely Zecora. The information wasn't much to consider, but Strange sensed that there was bound to be more.

"Over there." The voice broke Strange from his reverie, turning respectively to the source and seeing Wong point at a bark of a tree up ahead. Following his line of sight, Strange spotted something attached to the bark. He couldn't make anything of it at first, but as they drew closer to the object, he was able to get a good look at it. Stopping a few feet from the directed tree, Strange tilted his head to the side and gazed intently on the foreign material. For the past few minutes, the masses of wildlife were the only thing conceivable, but the item staring back at him was entirely something new; two hollow eye sockets and a frown carved onto it, furnished with green and blue paint that lined the edges of the mask as well as the eye sockets and mouth. Analyzing the object fully, it looked some sort of...

A mask, Doctor Strange thought. What's a tribal mask doing in the middle of the woods?

"Here we are," The voice broke Strange away from his rumination as he swiveled his head to where Wong was gesturing. In between the trees, there was an opening. Another pathway on the side that veered away from the original track they were on.

"Is this it?" Stephen asked.

"We're close," Wong replied, his eyes fixated on the object that hung on the tree. "The mask is an indication of her home up ahead. That way, it helps us remember her location easily."

The two sorcerers stood side by side, gazing the path ahead. They were now going to venture into the forest itself and for some reason, Strange was a bit hesitant to proceed. His past memories of watching National Geographic were beginning to resurface and if there was one thing he learned from the television channel, it was to always come prepared.

Luckily, he and Wong had magic on their side and that put him at ease.

Sighing, Strange stretched out his hand towards the clearing and looked at Wong. "Lead the way."

As Wong went on ahead, Strange took one last look around them and followed. Unfortunately, his eyes could only see so much as never saw the glowing green eyes, watching and waiting from behind, the trees giving it camouflage. The creature let out a small but fierce growl, the two beside it sharing their own.

Maneuvering around the vines, bushes, and mounts of dirt, both wizards continued to cross the clearing. Dead leaves and twigs cracked under their boots, leaving footprints behind with each step forward. Stephen had just about enough of what the forest offered and he prayed they reached their destination soon. He could only take so much of it, especially the insects buzzing aimlessly around his face. Now that he was up and close with nature, the insects he saw were quite... engrossing, to say the least; a spider with a star-shaped symbol, a fly with numerous legs, a frog with six eyes and the list goes on. If those things weren't the weirdest thing he saw today, Strange couldn't begin to imagine what type of creatures were inhabiting this world.

"How close are we getting, Wong?" Strange groaned, sounding ready to crack.

"Close," Wong simply said.

Grumbling, Strange had no other choice but to endure it a bit more. He had to suppress the urge to use magic in his current predicament because if he did, his actions could attract unnecessary and unwanted attention in the process. Just a little bit damn further, He thought, repeating the statement over and over again in his head in an attempt to ignore every aspect of green and dirt around him.

Exercise my ass, Strange thought, recalling a certain moment earlier. Honestly, there was no point in delaying their visit. They could have just moved their schedule up in advance and skip the wilderness travel from the beginning. It would save the hassle a lot more if they did. Doctor Strange was so occupied in his rambling thoughts, he didn't notice the light in the distance. Narrowing his eyes, he studied the structure ahead and it was apparent that they have indeed arrived at their destination.

Unlike the trees they passed earlier, the one in front was hollowed out and it was larger than the rest. A few plants, bushes and mushrooms were planted around the foundation with a few tribal masks lying around and one just above the door. Attached to every single strand of the vines were colored bottles hung freely on the branches, giving contrast to the home. A wooden oval door rested on the base of the bark, the short steps of stairs leading to it; two windows, one on the bottom left and one on the top right each with a cross-shaped frame.

Doctor Strange and Wong halted in their steps, their eyes gazing wondrously at the structure.

"I assume this is the place?" Strange finally and hopefully asked.

"Yes," Wong confirmed, a relieved sigh escaping Stephen's breath. "And it looks like she's home."

"Isn't she always home?"

"Not always," Wong replied. "Sometimes, she sets out at first light to search for herbs located deep within the forest."

"Well, she's definitely a morning person," Stephen commented. Both of them stood in place for a few moments, seemingly captivated by the design and orientation of the structure before Wong gestured Strange forward.

"Come, our host awaits." Wong insisted, motioning forward towards the door.

"Before we go..." Strange said abruptly, ceasing Wong in his steps. He stumbled in his thoughts for a moment, as if he wanted to say something regarding the situation. After a few moments of contemplation, Strange pursed his lips and looked up, facing the librarian with one thought in mind and said:

"We're not going to see a Baggins inside there, are we?"

Silence. Utter silence on the other end, the sounds of the forest only heard between them. Not a single word came out of them as they stared into one another, especially Wong. A look of pure bewilderment and curiosity contorted his face as he tilted his head to the side. He certainly didn't know what or who this 'Baggins' was. Another friend of Strange, maybe?

On the other hand, or rather the other end, Strange deeply frowned. Clearly, his pathetic attempt to evoke a laugh failed once again. The only genuine laugh Stephen heard from him was the joke about the warnings coming before the spells. That certainly got a laugh out of Wong. As for the nicknames like Beyoncé or Eminem, the librarian didn’t take too kindly to the insult.

"Or a Peter Pan?" Strange attempted one last time, his voice trailing off into silence.

Still nothing.

"Forget it." Shaking his head in utter frustration, Strange grunted and pressed forward towards the wooden door. "You really have to get a life sometime."

Shortly after, Wong followed suit—still confused—as they both stopped at the entrance. Arriving at the doorstep, Strange noticed the door being a tad smaller than he thought. His head stood taller than the entrance, his eyes on the same level as the mask on top of the door. Whoever this Zecora was, she was certainly small compared to him. Glancing to his side, he saw Wong waiting for him.

With a firm nod in his direction, Wong knocked three times and stepped a few feet back, as Strange went up next to him.

"Anything I should know before the door opens up?" Strange asked, brushing off any dirt from his robes, the Cloak of Levitation also providing assistance. He expected the words, 'be polite' or 'always smile', like a mom telling her child what to do when meeting someone for the first time, but what he heard from Wong was the opposite, as it caused his eyes to shot up immediately.

"Don't freak out," Wong simply stated.

Now that troubled Strange. He's seen freakish things lately in his time, but to hear it from Wong was a different story. "What do you mean don't fre—" Instantly, the creaking sound of the door interrupted Strange from finishing his question. Sure enough, his eyes trailed to the entrance. He held his breath, the heart in his chest pounding. The situation felt like a movie, the suspense slowly building up as the door slowly swung open. Once the entry was in full view, what stood there nearly threw Strange off. He definitely didn't expect an animal to appear.

Specifically, a zebra.

Keeping his composure, Strange studied the animal intently. The hair was definitely what stood out; a Mohawk style colored in gray and white. Around its neck and left hoof were golden rings as well as the large earrings on both of its ears. Like the zebras back on Earth, it had stripes but they were gray instead of black. The fashion style was certainly... exotic. His eyes finally focused on the zebra's own, it's curious cyan eyes reflecting his gaze. They shared the same inquisitive look, trying to analyze each other but what baffled Strange the most was the fact the zebra had managed to open the door by itself.

By itself.

"We..." Strange started, all four eyes focused on him. "...come in peace?"

With that, the zebra merely laughed, a hoof over its mouth. With both brows raised and mouth agape, Strange was in a state of utter shock and the African-esque accent in its voice didn't make it any better.

"You need not worry, as your friend had made that statement once clearly. And with all due respect, you must be the strange one I have heard, correct?"

Author's Note

Honestly, Zecora's line took me twenty minutes to properly think of a decent dialogue for her. Mind you, I wasn't procrastinating or anything, it's just her native language that constantly throws me off. If you thought this chapter took longer than you thought, you're in for a big surprise for the next one :<

Motivators, I welcome you with open arms.

P.S. I have a Ko-Fi account. Drop me some caffeine and I can write words a little faster =w=