Chapter 2- What's Reality?

Lucy was never one for hangovers, and when she woke up, her head was a blurred jumble of images. She groaned, clutching her head as she sat up, squeezing her eyes shut against the bright sunlight flooding from the window. What had happened last night? All she remembered was the brawl, and Loke carrying Mirajane to the infirmary, and then her brain drew up blank.

A soft whimper at her side finally made her open her eyes, and she smiled at the small figure of Plue on her bed. "Hey Plue." She groaned, rubbing her eyes. "What are you doing still out of your gate?"

Plue shuffled around on the end of the bed, and Lucy stood up, rubbing her forehead. "Let's go get some water, alright?"

Plue jumped off the bed, padding softly as he led the way to the kitchen, and Lucy followed him slowly as she stretched. Her mind didn't register much until she had a glass in her hand, and she'd drained it nearly 5 times before she began to coherently notice things.

The first thing she noticed as odd was her outfit. Lucy knew she had thousands of items of clothing, but she didn't remember buying the outfit she had on. The dress was a blue and white checkerboard pattern that had straps, with a white, frilly high necked blouse underneath that. Her hair was already done up for the day, pulled into a pair of braided pigtails with bows on the end. She frowned, playing with the material. "I don't remember putting this on…" She muttered, rubbing her forehead. Maybe Loke knew what had happened, she barely recalled teasing him.

As her fingers reached for her side, she froze, eyes wide in panic as she noticed the second odd thing about that morning. Her keys were gone, and she panicked, dashing around her house. She couldn't have lost them- Plue was sitting on her counter, chewing on a lollipop idly as he watched her.

Finally, Lucy flopped onto her couch, trying to recall anything after the guild. She'd had her keys at the guild, maybe she'd left them there. Quickly, she pulled on a pair of socks and shoes, waving Plue over. "Plue, let's go! We've got to get to the guild!"

As she straightened up, Lucy eyed Plue, who was lazily tripping over his own feet as he went. With a sigh, she shook her head, wondering idly if he'd drunk any alcohol last night as she went to the door and opened it.

Lucy and Plue stood on the threshold for a long moment, and she glanced down at him. "Plue… You're seeing what I'm seeing, right?"

Plue nodded, and Lucy rubbed her eye viciously as she looked around the world before her, carefully stepping out into the open. "Plue, I don't think we're in Magnolia anymore." She whispered, and Plue nodded slowly as he followed after her.

The world outside was bright and colorful, with strange plants and flowers twisting in odd shapes and colors as they reached abnormal heights around misshapen buildings and homes. A large, gold brick path wound its way through the town square, and Lucy found it oddly reminiscent of something she couldn't place. Lucy walked to one of the flowers, touching it softly. It felt real enough, and as she smelled the flower, she discovered it smelled like chocolate. She frowned, turning back to Plue. "I don't even think we're in the same universe Plue!" She cried out, wringing her hands slightly. "Plue, let's just-" Her eyes widened as she rushed back to her house. "My house!"

Lucy surveyed the damage with a horrified expression, clapping her hands over her eyes. "I'm never going to get my deposit back!" She moaned, absolutely appalled. Her house looked like it had been torn in half, ripped right up from its foundations in some huge storm, and it looked like it had landed on the remnants of what had been a large podium.

Lucy groaned as she turned away from the damage. Only Natsu would have been able to cause this much destruction, and she couldn't help but feel like this had something to do with him. She shook her head, and her pigtails smacked into her face. This was definitely Natsu's fault. And when she found him, she was going to kill him and make him pay for this.

If she could figure out where she was first. She looked around the square, trying to find a signpost. The only sign in sight was further down the yellow road, labeled 'Now leaving Munchkinland'.

Lucy looked down at Plue. "Munckinland? I've never heard of it." She looked around, frowning. "Is it an amusement park? Looks too empty to be one though…"

Plue nodded his agreement as Lucy tried to find someone, but every house she came to was empty, and finally she found herself outside her house again. "Plue, I give up. There's no one here, and we have no idea how to get back home to Fairy Tail." She moaned, sitting down on the ground.

Plue looked incredibly depressed at this, and Lucy sighed, picking him up and setting him on her lap. "Aren't we the pair?" She muttered, patting his soft head.

"Well, I see you were right Mayor. She is quite pretty."

Lucy jumped to her feet, holding Plue in her arms as she took in the sudden appearance of the pair of people, and her eyes widened. "M-mother?"

Layla Heartfilia stood beside Master Makarov, the serene smile that Lucy always remembered on her face as she smoothed her dress. Lucy took a step forward, eyes watering as she took in her mother's appearance. She was wearing a large, bubblegum pink dress, a large silver crown on her head, a large silver wand in her hand. She chuckled slightly, waving her wand slightly. "I'm sorry my dear, you've mistaken me for another woman."

Lucy shook her head. "No, you… you have to be…" Her mind was becoming strangely fuzzy, like her head was being submerged in a tank of water, and she rubbed her eyes. "I could've sworn…"

Makarov shook his head. "This is Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, and a mother to us all. We called her here when you came crashing into our village square."

Glinda nodded. "I'm afraid, but I must ask this. Are you a good witch, or are you a bad witch?"

Lucy blinked, frowning. "Well, I'm not a witch at all, I'm a wizard!"

Makarov chuckled. "That's preposterous. We only have one wizard, and he's in the Emerald City."

Glinda moved forward, taking Lucy's hand and patting it. "Well, if you aren't a witch, then who is?" She glanced down at Plue, and, with a smile, she tapped his nose. "Is it you?"

Lucy smiled, shaking her head. "No, this is Plue. He's a Celestial."

Glinda frowned. "So, if he is not a witch, then who dropped the house on the Wicked Witch of the East?" She turned to Lucy's apartment, eyeing it thoughtfully. "I was told a new witch dropped it on her."

"What? I didn't drop my house on anyone!"

Glinda chuckled, moving forward. "Well, here's the house, and here you are, and here's the Wicked Witch." She said, pointing to the ground.

Lucy reeled backwards, clapping a hand to her mouth. Just as Glinda claimed, a pair of stockings peeked out from under the house, a pair of red glittery shoes on the feet. Lucy gasped, horrified. "I didn't mean to! Oh no, is there some way…?"

Glinda smiled down at the body, shaking her head. "There's nothing to do but call the coroner, Mayor."

The Mayor frowned, his moustache bristling slightly. "Well, he won't come out until we determine the threat here." He glanced back at Lucy, eyeing her. "Miss, please, just tell us if you're a good or bad witch."

Lucy frowned slightly. "Well, I'd guess I'm a good witch. But I'm not a wit-"

Glinda clapped her hands together. "Oh, thank goodness. This land has been plagued by too many bad witches, it's good to have another in our midst." She curtsied. "As the Mayor said before, I am Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. May I inquire for your name?"

Lucy curtsied as well, still holding Plue as she straightened up. "I'm Lucy of Fairy Tail."

Glinda turned around. "Do you hear that? She's friendly! You can come out now, my little Munchkins!"

Lucy jumped a foot as hundreds of people began to appear before her, practically popping out of the ground, each grinning happily as they thanked her. They were no bigger than children, the tallest Munchkin barely reaching her waist. Her mind was getting fuzzy; she felt like she knew each of them, like she'd met them in a dream a long time ago, but she couldn't place where. As she shook hands with a Munchkin with flaming red hair, she decided she'd figure out everything when she got away from this strange town.

She straightened up, trying to find Glinda in the crowd of midgets, and Glinda waved her over, smiling. "The coroner is about to finish up the certificate of death. And with that, Munchkinland will be under your protection."

The Munchkins cheered, and the coroner straightened up, signing the paper. "She's officially dead! May her kind never plague us again!"

Lucy felt herself being pulled and pushed towards the Mayor's house, who was beaming as he shook Lucy's hand. "Lucy of Fairy Tail, we of the Munchkinland are forever in your debt! Songs will be sung in your honor, tales told!" He waved a hand around the town, beaming. "Ask anything of us; we will give it to you!"

Lucy watched as he whistled, forcing her to sit in a large chair with a single movement, and Munchkins began rushing about, bringing forth flowers, jewelry, deeds to land, anything she'd ever want before she could even stand up. But Lucy shook her head, waving them each away. As the Munchkin's faces fell, Lucy sighed, shaking her head. "Thanks, but I don't want any of that. I just want-"

Not for the first time that day, Lucy found herself interrupted, but from all the Munchkins scattering, throwing themselves onto the ground and behind bushes, Lucy knew this interruption wasn't a good one.

The wind began to howl, whipping everywhere and Lucy felt her pigtails fly up with the sheer force of the wind, and she dashed forward, finding Glinda, who looked grim. "What's going on?"

Silently, Glinda raised a hand and pointed, and Lucy followed her gaze towards the heavens. High above, she could make out the figure of someone, and a chill ran down her spine as an evil sounding cackle filled the air. A tree split not five feet from them, and while Lucy jumped backwards in alarm, Glinda did not move, her eyes still fixed on the figure high above. She scowled. "It's the Wicked Witch of the West."

Lucy paled. "I thought you said I killed her!"

Glinda shook her head. "No, you killed that witch, but that witch was Meredy, Wicked Witch of the East. Her sister rules to the West, and has always been extremely protective of her little sister."

There was a shot like one from a cannon, and Lucy felt the world shake as thick grey smoke filled the air, practically suffocating her. Glinda waved a hand, frowning at the figure before her. "Have you had your fun yet, Urtear?"

Lucy had to stifle a gasp as Glinda's hand caused the smoke to disperse, revealing the figure before them. Tall and beautiful, she had skin of a lime, though only one eye was visible from under her dark black hair. She was dressed in a shimmering black dress that had was in desperate need of being repaired, and on any woman it would have almost looked horrible, but she pulled it off. A pointed hat sat on her head as her eye fixed on Glinda, and her beautiful face scowled. "Glinda, I figured you would be behind this." Lucy gulped as the woman moved forward, shaking the tail of a broom in Glinda's face. "You've meddled in Meredy's affairs for the last time."

Glinda did not back down, but met the woman's gaze evenly. "You hold no magic here anymore witch. Your sister has been defeated by one other than me."

Urtear howled, her grip on her broom tightening. "Who then? Since your sister to the South died, there's no one with such magic!"

Glinda pulled Lucy forward. "This child. She flattened your sister with her house, and as a witch not bound by the treaty, she can do as she wishes. She rules these lands now, and you have no power here." She gestured to the floor, and Lucy looked down, shock registering on her face as she saw a red, glittery pair of shoes on her feet that certainly hadn't been there before. "She has your sister's slippers, and your magic will not be able to take them."

Urtear's eye widened, and she hissed. "Blast." She stalked around the pair of blondes, eyeing them up and down. Lucy watched as she disappeared around Glinda's side, and when she turned her head to see where she'd gone, she found herself face to face with the witch.

She yelled in surprise as the Witch tried to grab her, but a large static shock erupted from Lucy's skin, causing Urtear to jump back. Urtear shot an evil look at Glinda. "You've protected her, for now. Soon she will be beyond your reach and help!" Her eye fixed on Lucy. "You test my patience child. Give me the shoes and I'll spare your life."

Glinda stepped forward. "She will do no such thing. You have no power here Urtear, leave before I take drastic measures."

Urtear swung her broom in an arc. "We shall see." She grinned evilly, eyes fixed on Lucy. "I'll get you my pretty. You and your little… snowman too!"

The wind roared, and Lucy watched in horror as the Wicked Witch shot into the sky, flying off in a streak of green and black. Glinda shook her head, the distaste evident on her face. "I wished you had not met her so soon, she's hard to stomach on a normal day." She mused, turning back to the town. "It's alright, she's gone now. As long as Lucy is in Oz, she will not be able to touch you." Her eyes flitted back to Lucy. "Now Lucy, I- No!"

Lucy was on her knees, trying to take the shoes off, but Glinda pulled her to her feet. "My dear, promise me you won't take those shoes off. I've cast an enchantment on them; so long as you wear them, the Witch and her minions cannot hurt you."

Lucy shook her head. "Look, I don't even want to get wrapped up in your politics here, I just want to get home. To my guild."

Glinda frowned. "Your… Your guild?"

Lucy nodded. "It's called Fairy Tail, and it's in Magnolia. If you could just point me in the right direction…"

Glinda's eyes widened, and she grinned. "I'm sorry my dear, but I can't help you."

Lucy's face fell, and she frowned. "What do you mean, you can't help me? If you can't help me, why are you smiling?"

The Mayor came forward. "Glinda is bound by the treaty with the Wicked Witch of the West- she won't be able to use that sort of magic without compromising her own safety."

Glinda waved him off. "That matters not my dear. There is one who can help you and is not bound by the treaty, he is the Great and Powerful Oz."

"Oz?"

The Munchkins began to clamor excitedly, and Glinda shot them a look, silencing them. "Yes, the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz. He lives in the Emerald City, and he would be able to get you home, no matter where you come from. He'll help you. His magic knows no bounds."

Lucy sighed in relief. "How do I get there then?"

Glinda frowned. "Do you have a broom?" When Lucy shook her head, Glinda sighed. "Then you must walk. I would take you with my magic, but I barely have enough to get myself home as it is." She gestured to the road. "Follow the yellow brick road- the shoes will always lead you in the right direction, and your feet will never tire in them." She chuckled, shooting the house a look. "The Witch of the East was never fond of flying either, she preferred walking."

Lucy eyed the road before her. "Just… follow the road?"

Glinda nodded as she waved her wand. "Follow your heart, my dear Lucy, and it will not lead you wrong!" She said as a bubble enveloped her, and she began to float away.

Lucy balked. "Wait! What if the Witch tries to get me? I don't have my keys!"

Glinda waved, still smiling. "The shoes will know what to do!" She called, and a breeze swept her away into the distance.

Lucy frowned as she looked at the path before her. "Just follow the yellow brick road." She looked down at Plue, who was staring into the distance with her. "Sounds simple enough. What could possibly go wrong?"