Wizard of Oz

[antgirl1]

YAY! The Scarecrow is fixed! But uh oh, the Wicked Witch of the West!

[InsaneFan]

OMGGOO. x3

["C" the Dragon]

It's going great, so far! The words, "SURRENDER MAC" are just too hard to ignore!

[CG]

Chapter 7: The Great & Powerful Oz

The crowd of rushing people finally converged towards a large, sparkling set of stairs. The archway led up to another pair of huge doors and stood in front of those doors was one solitary guard. But a very, very huge guard for that matter. He was near fifteen feet all, the parts of him not covered by a green uniform was greyish blue in colour and his eyes were red. As the crowd came forward, he raised his hands.

"STEADY!" he shouted, "CALM! I understand you are all concerned, but the great and powerful Oz has matters under control!" he bellowed on, "So you have not one thing to worry about. We know who this 'MAC' is and the Wizard is in the midst of fixing this dilemma so you can all go home and no longer worry. Go on, go home!" he shooed at the large mass, who slowly began to dissolve. I suppose when facing a guard as huge as this you didn't want to argue.

The crowd had finally dispersed, and all that was left at the foot of the stairs was the five cleaned, if but a bit weary, travellers. The guard stared down at them for a long moment, watching them talk amongst themselves about what they should do. "If you want to come ask me something come ask me something, don't dilly dally like that." he finally said after a few moments.

"Right, sorry!" Mac called up, and the group quickly climbed the stairs to be towered over by the big hulking guard. "Uh, excuse me sir, but we'd like to see the Wizard. All of us. Please."

"Oh really now?" he asked, folding his arms and leaning over to get a better look at the troupe. The purple Lion with them cowered as he drew close, and he inspected the rest of them. The Scarecrow, delighted in meeting someone actually taller then him waved with both of his arms and the Tin Bird seemed more interested in his height to listen to him. "Well I'm sorry but I'm sure that blabbermouth of a gate guard told you that nobody sees the Wizard, not nobody and not no how." it was like reciting poetry, the guard had said this so many times he could probably talk it in his sleep.

"Yeah? Well buddy did 'not nobody' have the shoes of the wicked and quite dead witch of the East on his feet?" Bloo asked, pointing to the shoes upon Mac's feet. "AND, whose name is Mac?"

The guard hadn't expected this. "The Witch's Mac?" he asked, whilst eyeing the shoes. The young boy nodded. Harrumphing, the guard stroked his chin. "Well... this is highly irregular. Wait here, I shall announce you." with that he turned, and pulled open one of the great doors and vanished behind it, leaving the group outside and alone once more.

"He'll announce us! We're in Mac, we're finally in!" the Scarecrow clapped his hands together, "I'm sorry but I'm so so excited, I can finally get my brain!"

"Coco coco co co co coco!" the Tin Bird added, declaring how she swore she could feel her non-existent heart beating all the faster.

"And we'll get home Bloo! ...and to your paddleballs, I know." he added, seeing how Bloo eyed him suspiciously.

"And I am finally to be King of the forest!" the Lion said proudly, sitting on his hind legs and put one of his pars to his chest in a dignified manner, befitting a royal beast such as he is. "I is to be a good King too, si! No more of being intimidated by mi underlings, no more rude bunnies and squirrels. I am to be treated with dignity I am deserving for being a Lion. A muy courageous King, si!" oh the very idea, of him proudly marching through the wilderness, no longer being afraid of what may lurk in the darkness and be treated with respect. It was a dream come true after so many years of being belittled, intimidated and made fun of.

"You'll make a great King Lion, I'm sure of it." Mac smiled, patting his furry forearm.

And so the group took to waiting on the steps, Mac and Bloo talking about what they'd do when they got home again. It was odd, they KNEW they had friends waiting for them back in Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, but for the life of them they couldn't place a name to their faces, and it proved to be quite annoying. But either way, Mac said how he'd check on them all to see if they were all right from the twister that had scooped up the entire mansion. He honestly did hope that Madame Foster had insurance, since the whole house was now in Oz where would the imaginaries live? It was quite a pickle of a problem.

But suddenly the doors to the great Oz were flung open with such force the Lion cried out in terror as the guard suddenly announced, "THE WIZARD SAYS GO AWAY!" with that he turned, and vanished back behind the door.

They sat in stock silence for a good while, processing what had just been announced. The Scarecrow finally began to wilt onto the floor, and his eyes lowered as well. "Go away...?" he echoed, sounding like he had just been handed his death sentence. The Lion burst into tears, and the Tin Bird winced and moved away from his tears in fear of rusting again.

[CG]

"What?!" Bloo asked, standing up and running over to the gates and began pounding on the doors. "HEY! We didn't come all this way, beat off witches and monsters to end up being turned away before he's even seen us!! HEY!!!" he kept pounding at the door, before finally growing tired of it and just growled at it before making his way back to Mac and sitting besides him. "Stupid wizard probably isn't all that great anyway." he muttered.

"Excuse me?!" said the voice's guard, which made them all jump again. "Not all that great? NOT ALL THAT GREAT?" he growled viciously, clenching a fist and shaking it. "Why, NOBODY badmouths the Wizard of Oz! To your feet, all of you!" They all jumped to their feet (or in Bloo's case, he just stood) automatically. He then pulled the other large door open to reveal a long passageway, lined with burning green flames. "Go. Go and see for yourselves the power that is Oz."

"Uh no is okay I think I am going to be-" the Lion started, but was all but dragged in through the doors by his associates, howling and pleading as he went. The large doors slammed shut behind them, leaving them to make their way only by the light of the green flames. The Lion was shaking something horrible as they walked further down the hallway towards a large archway which led to an even bigger room. Once they entered, they saw the whole room had been hollowed out like an egg shell, leaving a large throne in the middle of the room which was connected to the entrance by a pathway. Flames shot out now and then, from around the throne yet no one was on the throne.

They kept still, and silent for a few moments.

"Maybe there really isn't a Wizard.." the Scarecrow began, but he fell silent as a voice as loud as thunder and as powerful as fire filled the air.

"I AM OZ!" it bellowed, and before them in the throne, an apparition came into sight. It was a floating, huge, bald, green head. His eyes were tiny and black like the night sky, twinkling with both wonder and power. As soon as the head had appeared, the Lion had wept even loudly trying to turn around, crying how he wanted to go home now, forget his courage he just wants to be home again. The magnificent Oz spoke again but not as loudly or dramatically, "I am Oz, the great and terrible. Who are you?" when no one answered, he bellowed again, "WHO ARE YOU?"

Mac inched forward at first, quaking in his red shoes and Bloo behind him. For support, you realise. He stammered, but managed to speak finally. "I... I um, I'm Mac... the uh... small and meek..? W-we've come to ask you t-to send me and B-bloo back h-" he was interrupted,

"SILENCE!" Both Mac and Bloo ran back to the group, where they took refuge behind the Scarecrow's long legs. "The magnificent Oz knows why you have come. ... Step forward, Tin Bird.. uh, Plant Plane thing!" his voice bellowed again.

The Tin Bird was shaking so much it sounded like someone was rattling a tin piggybank to see how much money was left inside. She gulped loudly and walked forward, and curtsies somehow without any arms or a gown upon her body. The head of Oz watched, bemused by her odd design, but spoke finally. "So you come to me for a heart, is that correct?"

"Co co!" the Tin Bird replied, before going into a lengthy string of 'cocos' explaining just why she wants a heart, and what the group went through to get here. Oz grew tired of the bird's chattering and released a loud shout for silence and she too ran back to join the group. This time she leapt behind the Lion, who was large and could be used for cover.

"Come forward Scarecrow." Oz demanded, and the Scarecrow, shaken with nerves and fear stumbled forward, tripped over himself before laying flat on his face in a gracious bow towards the head. "You have the nerves coming here for a brain, you billowing bale of bonfire fodder! Why should I give you one? Tell me!"

The Scarecrow lifted his head slowly, his voice shaking. "F-for you are th-the all great and powerful Oz a-and I am b-but a humble Scarecrow b-built to scare birds...? B-but I wan-want to know mo-more of-" he was cut off again.

"ENOUGH!"

The Scarecrow rushed back to the group, yelping as he fell over again. The Lion was already shaking in terror for he knew who would be called upon next. Sure enough, the beady, glaring eyes of the large head turned to the purple 'King' of beasts. "And you, Lion." he spoke deeply, gravely.

The Lion wouldn't move at first, it took a good few nudges from Mac, Bloo, the Scarecrow and Tin Bird before he finally went towards the head, cowering even more. Both Beast and Oz looked at he other for a good few moments, no words being spoke. Finally Oz asked, "WELL?"

His answer was the Lion fainting. All his friends ran forward, trying to wake him from his terror induced coma, the Scarecrow fanning his face while the Tin Bird nudged him with her foot. Mac looked at the poor Lion's face, even with his eyes shut he looked absolutely terrified. Angry, he turned his head to the Wizard. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself!" he yelled, not caring if this was a Wizard or not. "You have no right in frightening him when he came to you for help! When all of us came to you for help, you're MEANT to help us! Not sit there and yell at us and call us mean things!"

[CG]

"SILENCE!" the fires flared higher, and Mac fell quiet mostly since Bloo put his hands over his friend's mouth. "The magnificent Oz has every intention of granting your request." The stunned silence that followed lasted a few moments, even the Lion was finally roused and had to be told what had happened while he was asleep. "But first, you must deem yourselves worthy of your requests. One must not receive for doing nothing, after all. You must do something for me."

"And what's that?" Mac asked.

"Kill the Wicked Witch of the West." said the great and powerful Oz, in a way in which someone would ask you to pass the milk.

"K-kill her?!" Mac asked, astonished. "I can't KILL someone!"

"You killed her sister, and you wear her shoes upon your feet." replied Oz, his eyes going to the red shoes.

"I didn't mean to do that either!" Mac said,

"I'm sorry but if you're so powerful why don't you kill her?" the Scarecrow asked, a very good question indeed.

"For she is truly Wicked, and her powers are far more fiendish then mine ever will be. But you are already famous for killing one witch, Mac of Fosters, you shall most definitely kill this one. And when she is dead and gone, only then shall you return home, and your friends get what they have asked for. Now go."

"But, but what if she kill us first...?" the Lion finally piped up.

"I SAID GO!" bellowed the great and terrible Oz. His voice was so powerful it shook the room, and the Lion leapt to his feet, turned, and ran right out the room. His fear fuelled his legs as he ran straight down the long corridor he and his friends had entered before leaping right out of a glass window and vanishing into the city.

To be continued

[Cassini90125]

Very dramatic!

[CG]

Chapter 8: Bees, Birds and Monkeys

News quickly spread within the city of Emeralds that a group of fearless Witch Hunters were about to set forth to finally destroy the evil and wicked Witch of the West. She had terrorized their lives for years, causing droughts, death of livestock, and other nasty things like that. When they also learnt the one sent forth to kill her had already killed her sister, belief in the Witch Hunters grew even more. A large crowd had gathered to see them out of the city, waving banners and tossing confetti singing their praises and wishing them luck. They didn't notice how half the group (especially the larger half being the Lion) didn't look as brave as you would hope. They were pointed in the right direction, Mac was given supplies to carry in his bag, and then the doors slammed shut behind them.

"...well." Mac started, gulping. "Off we go."

And off they went, they headed Westward through to Winkie Country, which was vastly different compared to Beanieland where Mac and Bloo had started their journey. The woods soon grew thinner, and thinner, until they were walking across what Mac could call the most baron fields he had ever seen. It was almost a desert, but luckily the ground was still hard clay rather then sand. The Tin Bird had to be oiled up extra hard so her joints wouldn't rust because of the awful dust in the air.

"Are we there yet?" asked Bloo, for the millionth time.

"Do you SEE a castle anywhere?!" Mac snapped, pointing all around them. Bloo squinted in the light, which was finally beginning to dim since the sun was beginning to set in the far distance.

"Nnn.. wait... nn. yeee... no." he finally said.

"I'm sorry Mac, but I think it's time you guys take a rest. Look at Lion, he's exhausted since he has all that fur and there's been no clouds all day." the Scarecrow pointed out, and he had a point. The Lion looked near dead from all the walking, and his thick fur had made matters worse during the journey. He panted heavily, eyes almost shut. Mac looked at him, and sighed.

"Yeah... I think you're right." Mac sighed, and soon enough he, Bloo and the Lion settled down for the night. But it seemed someone was making a habit of watching out over her lands, for the Wicked Witch, sat in her tower again and looking into her glowing orb saw the group. She grinned viciously, "Well well, look who's coming to pay us a visit! I best send out my welcoming party." she snapped her fingers, and out from seemingly every nook and cranny came bees. Swarms of bees filled the air, their buzzing a terrible din to be heard over. But the Witch gave them their duties, go and sting the intruders, for these bees were killer bees. No one could survive their stings. Having been given their orders, the bees buzzed as one and vanished out the large window and was gone from sight.

The Scarecrow, with his great height and now improved sight from having two eyes saw the bees first. "Oh no!" he cried, and looked to the sleeping trio. He may not know much, but he knew trouble when he saw it. He suddenly had an idea. Very quickly he began pulling the straw out from his body, first his feet, then his legs, his torso, his new arm, his head, and finally the Tin Bird shook out the remaining parts and covered Bloo, Mac, and the Lion with all his straw and she tucked his clothes and 'skin' alongside them and turned to watch the bees finally approach.

The bees were confused, there was only one person here. But they charged either way, stinging the Tin Bird. But we know nothing like bee stings, even killer bee stings, can dent tin. All their stings broke, and we all know as well that bees cannot live without their stingers. Soon enough all the bees were dead, surrounding the Tin Bird. She released a proud 'coco' at her accomplishment, and began putting the Scarecrow back together. Once he was himself again she congratulated him on such a wonderful idea he had.

"Aw it was nothing, really!" the Scarecrow waved off her compliments, putting the last piece of straw into his chest. At last the sun began to rise, and after explaining the reason why the ground was littered with bee bodies, the group continued on. No one figured out it was the Witch sending the bees after them, for all they knew they had just been a wandering group of bees who thought it'd be fun to sting a few people. Ignorance surely was bliss in this case.

When the Witch awoke to see that her bees had failed her she screamed and cursed for a while, throwing breakable objects around the room. When her temper had cooled she called forth her large clock of crows. "Go! Peck them all to death!" she ordered, blind with fury since she failed to realise that at least two of the party members couldn't really die. But when a Witch is angry, she is a horrible sight to behold. The crows cawed and obeyed, taking to flight and vanishing into the horizon.

"Hey I think I see the castle!" Mac declared, pointing to the far distance. Indeed, finally after almost a day and a half they could see the tiny dot in the distance which was surely the castle of the Wicked Witch. But as they walked closer, then they realised something else was flying towards them. Something bigger then bees, and something cawing.

[CG]

"What the?" Bloo asked, but before he could ask what the heck was going on with flying animals attacking them, the Scarecrow stood to his full height and rubbed his hands together.

"I'm beginning to think she's trying to stop us." the Scarecrow muttered, and ignored the smart remark Bloo said. These were crows, and he was a Scarecrow. If there was one thing he was good at, it was scaring crows away. The Lion pulled Mac and Bloo closer to him, shielding the small boys with his paws and growled at the birds. For him being a large cat, you all know how housecats love chasing and catching birds.

The Scarecrow threw his arms out, and as the crows came closer he released a sudden scream that no one expected to hear coming out from him. The crows were all startled by this figure, even if they were the cohorts of the Wicked Witch they were still crows, and crows were still afraid of scarecrows. Especially the tall ones, with huge eyes watching every move they made. Crows hated being watched. And when they spotted the especially large Lion watching them with hungry eyes, they did an about face and flew away from not only the group, but the Wicked Witch as well.

"Are they gone?" Bloo asked, pushing some of the Lion's mane back to look out into the world.

"Co co coco!" the Tin Bird declared, trying to rub some crow poop that had fallen on her wing. The Scarecrow, used to this sort of thing, helped her rub the grime off.

"So now what do we do? Keep walking to our certain doom?" Bloo asked, "This Witch keeps throwing these flying stinging and.. pooping things at us, can't she just let us sneak in without being bothered by these things?"

"Apparently not." Mac sighed, picking up a black feather which had fallen from a crow. "But we have to keep going. If not only to get home again, and get you guys what you want, but to let Oz no longer be freaked out by this crazy Witch. Then it'll be good for everyone, well. Except the witch."

Everyone agreed, and once again they collected up themselves and their things, and continued on towards the castle which finally began to grow larger with each step. Surrounding the castle was a large moat, and beyond that were some trees and a few gulches. Things easily avoidable, and finally the group were given some shade by the dying and twisted trees that had made this part of Oz their home.

Of course the Witch was enraged, her bees and her crows had failed her. Miserable pests they were, not worth a dime! But she knew the final thing that would work. She called down the leader of the Winged Monkey's, and with him came a small gathering of his army. "Go to the forest and find those meddlesome rats," she ordered. "Bring me the boy. And his horrible little blue bob." she froze for a moment, thinking. She then grinned wickedly, as a Wicked Witch is known to do. "Destroy the straw and tin creatures, and bring me the Lion. We shall harness him to my carriage and break his spirit. Now go, GO!"

The sky filled with the screeches of the monkeys, of all manner of shape and size. They knew their job, and this is what they lived for. They all took to the skies, screeching and hollering their wild primal calls as they flew through the air with little fuss or bother.

When their cries reached the ears of the group there was very little that could be done. Of course they put up much of a battle as they could. The Lion roared and swiped a few of them out of the skies with his paws, but more sprung up to take the place of their fallen kin and they had ropes. As the Lion was being tussled and tied, other monkeys flew at the Tin Bird. She screeched and pecked at quite a lot of them, clipping their wings and doing damage to their tails and legs. But she too was eventually pulled into their grasps, her beak held tight by their hands and tossed down into one of the ditches.

The Scarecrow had tried his best to keep them off and away from Mac and Bloo, but he was the more easily felled. Even if it didn't hurt, he still cried out as they pulled him to pieces, throwing an arm there, his head over there, and dancing in the straw that fell out from his body. Poor Mac and Bloo, now left without any help were at the mercy of the monkeys. But they had their orders, not to harm the boy or blob; but bring them to the Witch. Both put up a fight as best they could and yelled loudly as the monkeys managed to pull the boys into their grasp, and fly away into the sky back towards the Witches Castle. The Lion too, now bound and helpless was flown back by the larger monkeys.

The Scarecrow, now in pieces, could only watch as his three friends were carried away. If he could cry he would have, for not only were his friends gone, but his brand new eye which he had only gotten a day ago, had been bent and broken again.

To be continued

[InsaneFan]

=O D00d.