Chapter 36: Making Charcoal Toothpaste

Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Making Charcoal Toothpaste Isabella led the girls back to her hut, a small but sturdy little place that barely fit one person comfortably—let alone three. Outside, they settled down on a flat patch of earth, where the morning air was still cool and refreshing. Birds chirped in the distance, and the leaves rustled with a gentle breeze. For a moment, everything felt peaceful. Isabella sighed contentedly, stretching her arms behind her head. Maybe this world wasn’t so bad. Then, she remembered something. She turned to Sheila. "By the way, what season are we in?" Sheila gave her a strange look. "The hot season." Isabella froze. The hot season. As in heat? As in sweat? As in no fans, no air conditioning, no ice-cold drinks, no deodorant sprays? She internally screamed. On the outside, she simply nodded, trying to maintain her composure. "Oh. I see." Sheila, who had no idea Isabella was currently having a mental breakdown, just shrugged. "Yeah. It’s normal. You’ll get used to it." Used to it? Isabella wanted to cry. But instead, she forced a smile. No. She had to focus. Her mind flipped through all the things she needed to do—food, hygiene, skincare, survival. But one thing stuck out the most. Toothpaste. There was no way she was going to live in a world where people just scrubbed their teeth with twigs and hoped for the best. (If they even did that) No. She would not stand for it. With renewed determination, she reached for the ugly hide pouch Ophelia had gifted her earlier. It was poorly stitched and looked like it had been chewed on by at least three animals before it reached her hands. But it was useful, and for now, that was what mattered. Inside, she had the plants she collected yesterday from the forest. She carefully took them out, examining the leaves and small bits of charcoal she had also gathered. Ophelia leaned in curiously. "What are you doing?" "Creating civilization," Isabella said, completely serious. Ophelia blinked. "Huh?" "You’ll see." She moved to a smooth, flat stone slab that she had cleaned earlier and placed everything neatly in front of her. She didn’t have a mortar to grind things properly, so she had to get creative. Her tools? A smaller stone for grinding. Her ingredients? Charcoal, a minty leaf she found yesterday, and sheer determination. She sat cross-legged, rolled up her sleeves, and got to work. First, she picked up a piece of charcoal, inspecting it carefully. Charcoal was known for its cleansing properties—it absorbed toxins, removed stains, and helped whiten teeth. It was the OG of all-natural dental care. She placed it on the stone slab and grabbed the smaller rock, grinding it into a fine powder. The crunch, crunch, crunch of charcoal being crushed filled the air. Ophelia sat beside her, watching intently. Sheila, on the other hand, yawned. "This looks boring." Isabella ignored her. Next, she took the minty leaves. She had no idea what they were called, but when she had chewed on one yesterday to test, it gave her the same freshness as mint back on Earth. She crushed the leaves into a pulpy mess, mixing them with the charcoal powder. At this point, her hands were covered in black dust. Her face was streaked with charcoal. Her expression? Dead serious. Ophelia tried not to laugh. Isabella narrowed her eyes. "What?" Ophelia quickly shook her head, lips twitching. "Nothing." Isabella gave her a long stare. Then, deciding to let it slide, she continued. "Ophelia, go get the water from inside my hut," she instructed, not looking up as she continued grinding. "It’s in a small hollowed-out gourd." Ophelia nodded and quickly got up, vanishing into the hut. Sheila, meanwhile, was lying on her side, watching lazily. "You know, I have no idea what you’re doing, but you look kind of terrifying right now." Isabella smirked. "Good. Fear me." Sheila chuckled. "You’re such a weird one." Isabella didn’t argue. She was in her element. Back in her old world, she had been obsessed with beauty and self-care. Not in a vain way—but because she truly believed that taking care of yourself was a form of self-respect. And that started with hygiene. She had spent years learning about skincare, ingredients, chemicals, and health tips. So even though she had no lab, no fancy equipment, and no professional tools, she could still make something work. She pressed her lips together in satisfaction as she stared at her half-finished creation. Now, all she needed was water. Just as she thought that, Ophelia returned, holding the small gourd of water carefully. And with that, Isabella was ready to finish her masterpiece. Isabella stared at her makeshift toothpaste, the mix of charcoal and minty leaves sitting in a little pile on the stone slab. It looked decent—at least for something made in the middle of nowhere with nothing but rocks and instincts. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand, only to realize she just smeared charcoal across her face. Great. Now she looked like she had lost a fight with a fireplace. But that wasn’t her biggest problem. Her gaze drifted to the black, powdery mixture. Sure, it was technically toothpaste, but... how was she supposed to apply it? With her fingers? Absolutely not. She needed a toothbrush. Or at least something that functioned as one. Her brain quickly flipped through survival knowledge. She had watched enough beauty and health content to know one thing: chewing sticks. They were nature’s toothbrush. No tools? No problem. If ancient civilizations used them, so could she. She turned to Shelia, who was lying on her side, poking at a rock like it was the most interesting thing in the world. "Hey, you," Isabella called. Shelia barely looked up. "Yeah?" "I need you to get me something from the forest." Shelia groaned. "Again?" "Yes, again," Isabella said, already mentally preparing herself for the attitude. "I need a chewing stick." Shelia blinked. "A what?" "A chewing stick. It’s the simplest way to clean your teeth without tools." At this, Ophelia—who had been listening intently the entire time—perked up. Her round cheeks puffed slightly in curiosity. "That’s amazing!" Ophelia clapped her hands. "How does it work?" Isabella grinned. Finally, someone who appreciated knowledge. "You take a small, softwood branch, chew on one end until the fibers separate, and then use it like a brush to scrub your teeth." Ophelia’s eyes sparkled. "That’s so clever!" Shelia, meanwhile, looked unimpressed. "So... you want me to find you a stick?" "Not just any stick. A stick from the right tree." Shelia groaned dramatically, falling backward. "Why does everything with you have rules?" "Because unlike you, I have standards." Shelia snorted but sat up. "Fine. What kind of tree?" Isabella thought for a second. "Look for softwood trees or plants with antibacterial properties." Shelia tilted her head. "Like what?" "Like willow." Isabella counted on her fingers. "It’s soft, flexible, and has pain-relieving properties." Shelia squinted. "That sounds fake." "It’s real." Shelia huffed. "Fine. What shouldn’t I grab?" "Hardwood trees," Isabella said instantly. "Too tough to chew." "Makes sense." "And definitely avoid toxic plants." Shelia rolled her eyes. "Oh, wow, don’t chew on poison? Thanks, genius." Isabella ignored her sarcasm. "Just saying. Some plants have sap that causes irritation. You wouldn’t want to walk around with a swollen mouth." Shelia opened her mouth to argue—then paused. "...Fair point." Isabella crossed her arms, smug. "Of course it’s a fair point. I know what I’m talking about." Shelia muttered something under her breath but stood up, dusting off her pants. "Fine, I’ll go stick-hunting. But if I get attacked by a giant squirrel, I’m blaming you." Isabella grinned. "Deal." She watched as Shelia lazily stretched, yawned, and dragged herself toward the forest like she was being sent to war. Once she disappeared into the trees, Isabella exhaled. Finally, some peace. She turned back to Ophelia, who was still watching her with bright, curious eyes. "Do you always know so much about things?" Ophelia asked. Isabella smirked. "Darling, this is just the beginning."