She remained sitting on her bed for a while longer, glancing out of her window to be sure that the tornado had passed. After a few minutes, she finally stood up. "It's over." Rinoa sighed, and then motioned for Angelo to follow her. "Let's find the others and make sure they're alright."
Rinoa walked, shakily, through the house, still shaken up from the tornado. She left her room and went through the hallways, until she got to the back door. Outside, she knew that the entrance to the shelter was there and that everyone else must be climbing out right now. She opened up the back door, expecting to see the shelter. But she didn't see the shelter. Instead, she saw one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen. It didn't look like the Winhill Bluffs at all. Everything had its own unique color. It was like a rainbow had just melted over top of the place, making everything looked so beautiful. Rinoa found that her eyes had widened at the sight and her jaw was partially dropped. "I don't think we're in Winhill anymore, Angelo." She said, more to herself than Angelo.
Feeling curious, she began walking forward, absorbing all of the characteristics of this place. As she walked along a small bridge, she saw what looked to be a village right in front of her. She glanced around; looking for any signs of life in the area, but the village seemed deserted. Rinoa felt an urge to call out for someone, but she quickly decided against it, thinking that she might startle someone. Just as she stepped off of the bridge, she heard some giggling coming from somewhere. Startled, Rinoa frantically looked around, trying to find out it was that was giggling. Before she could take another stepped, a gust of dark purple smoke began to rise up out of the ground. Once the smoke dispersed a middle-aged woman with long black hair wearing a long black dress, stood in place; a smile upon her face. "Hello." The woman said. "How do you do?"
Rinoa glanced behind her, and then looked back to the woman, making sure that the woman was talking to her. "Um, I do very well… thank you." She said, making a curtsy gesture.
"Are you a good sorceress or an evil sorceress?"
"I'm not a sorceress at all. Sorceresses are old and evil."
Some more giggling came from somewhere in the village. Rinoa took another glance around, and then decided it was best to ask about the giggling. "Who is that?" She asked.
"Why… they're the munchkins. This is Munchkin Land." The woman answered.
"Why are they laughing?"
"They are laughing because I am a sorceress. I am the good sorceress, Sorceress Edea."
"Oh! I'm sorry."
"It's quite alright. It's obvious that you are not from around here and, therefore, did not know me. If I may ask, where are you from?"
"Well… I'm from Winhill."
"Winhill? Why, I have never heard of it." Edea said. "It must be a land far, far away."
At that moment, Rinoa heard some murmurs coming from all around the village, most likely talking about her and her house falling out of the sky. Edea smiled around at all of the houses, and then began to sing:
Come out, come out, wherever you are and meet the young lady, who fell from a star.
She fell from the sky, she fell very far and Winhill, she says, is the name of the star.
One by one the munchkins came out of their hiding places, realizing that it was safe. As they walked over to join Edea, they repeated:
Winhill, she says, is the name of the star.
Edea continued on with the song.
She brings you good news. Or haven't you heard?
When she fell out of Winhill
A miracle occurred.
Then, Rinoa joined in, telling her story as she sang along.
It really was no miracle. What happened was just this.
The wind began to switch – the house to pitch and suddenly the hinges started to unhitch.
Just then the witch – to satisfy an itch went flying on her broomstick, thumbing for a hitch.
Next, the Munchkins took over and continued the story.
And oh, what happened then was rich.
The house began to pitch. The kitchen took a slitch.
It landed on the wicked witch in the middle of a ditch,
Which was not a healthy situation for the Wicked Witch.
Who began to twitch and was reduced to just a stitch
Of what was once the Wicked Witch.
One Munchkin, who was mid-twenties female, stepped forward and sang:
We thank very sweetly, for doing it so neatly.
A second munchkin stepped forward, Selphie Tilmitt, and sang:
You've killed her so completely, that we thank you so sweetly.
Lastly, Edea finished the song.
Let the news be spread, the Wicked Old Witch at last is dead!
With Edea's words said, the Munchkins began singing joyously; Rinoa stood quietly with Angelo, watching their happiness.
Ding Dong! The witch is dead. Which old witch? The wicked witch!
Ding Dong! The wicked witch is dead.
Wake up – sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed.
Wake up, the wicked witch is dead. She's gone where the goblins go,
Below – below – below. Yo-ho, let's open up and sing and ring the bells out.
Ding Dong, the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.
Let them know
The Wicked Witch is dead!
The singing stopped, as the mayor stepped forth and sang alone.
As the mayor of MunchkinCity, in the county of the land of Esthar, I welcome you most regally.
Then, the barrister stepped forth and sang one after another with the mayor.
But we've got to verify it legally to see
To see?
If she
If she?
Is morally, ethically
Spiritually, physically
Positively, absolutely
Undeniably and reliably dead
Next, the coroner stepped up to examine the body of the sorceress.
As coroner I must aver, I thoroughly examined her.
And she not only merely dead, she is most sincerely dead.
The mayor took the stand again and sang:
Then this is a day of independence for all the Munchkins and their descendants.
If any.
Yes, let the news be spread. The Wicked Old Witch at last is dead.
After a few seconds, the mayor walked over to stand before Rinoa. "Now," He said. "Allow us to welcome you more properly."
He stepped aside and allowed three female munchkins, apparently young girls, to take the stage. The three females danced beautifully, as they sang:
We represent the Lullaby League, the Lullaby League, the Lullaby League.
And in the name of the Lullaby League… We wish to welcome you to MunchkinLand
The females danced off of the stand and allowed three boys to make their welcome.
We represent the Lollypop Guild, the Lollypop Guild, the Lollypop Guild.
And in the name of the Lollypop Guild… We wish to welcome you to MunchkinLand
The two groups stood together and sang together.
From now on you'll be history, you'll be history, you'll history, you'll be history.
And we will glorify your name.
You will be a bust, be a bust, be a bust
In the hall of fame!
At those last words, more purple smoke began to rise up out of the ground, causing all of the munchkins to run and hide again. When the smoke disappeared, another sorceress stood in the area. "I thought you said she was dead." Rinoa asked Edea.
"That was the evil sorceress of the west, Ultimecia. This is the evil sorceress of the east, Adel. She's a very fearful sorceress." Edea explained.
"Who killed my cousin?" Adel shouted, and then began picking out munchkins one at a time. "Was it you? Or you?"
Adel looked around a few times, and then finally pointed a finger at Rinoa. "It was you!" She shouted.
Feeling frightened, Rinoa said, "It was an accident! Honest!"
"An accident, you say?" Adel said. "Well, I can cause accidents, too."
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Edea interjected.
Adel stared at her, suspiciously.
"The ruby slippers."
"Yes… the ruby slippers." With that, Adel walked over to the house, where Ultimecia's feet were sticking out. She reached down to grab the shoes, only to see them slip away from her grip. "Where'd they go?" She speed walked back over to Edea. "You did something with them! I know you did! Where are they?"
"There they are…" Edea said, indicating Rinoa's feet. "And there they'll stay."
Rinoa glanced down at her feet and was stunned to see that her ordinary shoes were somehow replaced with a pair of beautiful ruby slippers. "We'll just see about that." Adel said, and then reached down to take away the slippers… only to be shocked by them.
Adel screamed in pain and held onto her shocked hand. She grabbed a hold of her broomstick and began to conjure a spell. "I'll get those slippers if it's the last thing I do." She said.
"What are you doing? You have no magic here." Edea informed. "Leave here at once… before somebody drops a house on you."
Adel, quickly, looked up into the sky, making sure that nothing was falling toward her. "Very well. I shall leave. But mark my words, I'll get you my pretty… and you're little dog, too." With that, Adel vanished within purple smoke.
"Adel doesn't seem too happy with you." Edea informed. "The sooner you leave the continent of Esthar, the safer you'll be."
"How can I leave? I don't think I can go the way I came." Rinoa said.
"Hmm… perhaps the Wizard of Esthar can help."
"The Wizard of Esthar?"
"Yes. He is very mysterious, but is known to help others when they are in need of help."
"How can I get to him?"
"Just follow the yellow brick road." With that, Edea vanished within some purple smoke.
Rinoa watched her go, and then glanced down at the ruby slippers. Upon looking down, she found that she was standing on the tip of the yellow brick road. "Follow the yellow brick road…" She said, and then took a few steps forward. "Follow the yellow brick road?"
Then, the munchkins began singing, coaching her along.
Follow the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road
Follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow the yellow brick road.
Follow the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road.
You're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Esthar.
You'll find that he is a whiz of a wiz, if ever a wiz there was.
If ever oh ever a wiz there was The Wizard of Esthar is one because,
Because, because, because, because, because,
Because of the wonderful things he does.
You're off to see the wizard! The wonderful Wizard of Esthar!
As they sang, Rinoa skipped down the road; Angelo following close beside her. Together, they left Munchkin Land and out into the unknown.
Author's Note: I know… you kinda have to sing an extra note with Esthar included the songs. But its not that bad, right? And another thing I wanna say… is that some things from the movie I'm not going to change… because they're sort of like classics. I think you know what 'things' I'm talking about. Anyway, how was this chapter?
