Part III

Emerald City

… As I was saying, the witch of the West was watching them as they crossed the yellow brick road. She hated them. For starters, Sonic and Tails killed her sister by dropping the command deck on her, now they took the ruby slippers that her sister was going to give to her in case she died and taking them to the wizard of oz, and she knew that oz would sell them on e-bay. She knew she couldn't let them to emerald city, but how was she going to keep them from getting there?

"Agh!" said the witch "I hate them! I hate them all! What am I going to do to keep them from emerald city? Hmmmmm. I know! I'll use that opium that that Mexican gave me while I was in Mexico! I'll put in on their path and they'll be stoned! Then, I'll take the slippers! EEEEHEHEHEHEHEHE!"

She started rubbing the crystal ball and muttered some words. Then, opium sprouted on the yellow brick road and miles around it.

Meanwhile, not far from the opium:

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles the tin man, Amoeba the scarecrow, and Shadow the lion were walking down the yellow brick road when they saw a bright green city that looked like emerald rods sticking out of the ground.

"What is that?" said Sonic "Is that a mining industry or something?"

"No, it's… it's…" said Shadow

"… Really green" said Amoeba

"No, idiot! That's emerald city!" said Knuckles

"Oh! What's that?" asked Sonic

"It's where the wizard of oz is" said Shadow

"Oh, what's that?" asked Amoeba pointing to the opium

"Looks like they made a flowering bed" said Sonic

"In the middle of the road?" said Tails

"Oh crap!" said Shadow "It's covering the yellow brick road! We won't see where we're going and get lost!"

"How about we cut through the flowers and go on the yellow brick road on the other side" said Sonic

"Oh, works for me" said Shadow

They ran through the "flowers" and they got tired half-way through.

"What's going on here?" asked Sonic "I can't be tired now"

"I feel weak" said Tails

"I feel stoned" said Knuckles

"What is up with these flowers?" asked Shadow

"Well, judging by the lack of energy, the flowers, and Ozzie Osborne I think this is opium" said Sonic

"No, I can't be on drugs" said Tails "I'm a citizen who obeys the laws… getting… sleepy"

Tails fell to the ground

"Cool" said Amoeba "Good night"

Amoeba fell to the ground.

"Hey, lame-brain!" said Knuckles "Don't you dare go out on us"

"Heh, who would have thought that… no! Must stay focused!" said Shadow trying not to give in to the opium "Must not…"

Shadow fell to the ground.

"Not you, too, Shadow!" said Knuckles

"Well, it's just you and me, Knuckles" said Sonic

"Yeah, just you and…"

Knuckles fell to the ground

"Okay, now it's just me" said Sonic "I wonder why it's not affecting me?" Sonic got tired "AAAAAwwwwwwwww! STUPID! I jinxed myself! HELP! SOMEBODY! SOS! SOS! PLEASE! Oh, dear Lord, my savior, PLEASE HELP ME, GOD! I LOVE YOU! I'll do whatever you want! Please help me, God" Sonic started getting more tired "Thanks… a lot" Sonic tried to not give in "Must… stay… awake… alive… must… hold… on… man… getting dark…" Sonic fell asleep.

All seemed lost, suddenly, it started snowing. It covered the opium and everybody got up.

"We're alive!" said Tails

"Of course we're alive" said Sonic "Opium doesn't kill you… does it? Anyway, we're alive"

"Let's go to emerald city" said Knuckles

They continued down the road and walked to emerald city. There they ran into a large door. Sonic rang the doorbell. Then, a man came from inside the door and opened a little window to see his guests.

"Hello" said Sonic "We're here for…"

"Do you mind?" said the man

"What?" said Sonic

"The doorbell is broken" said the man

"Then, why did you answer it" said Sonic

"Well… uh… I… eh… READ THE SIGN!" said the man

He put up a sign and went back in. The sign said "Doorbell Broken, Please Knock"

"Why didn't they put that up earlier" said Tails

Sonic knocked on the door and the same man came out.

"Hello" said the man "How may I help you?"

"We came here to see the wizard of oz" said Tails

"The wizard of oz?!?" said the man "No! No! He's… uh… well, is there anything else you want?"

"That's about it" said Sonic

"Well, I won't let you in, then" said the man

Tails had an idea and said "Wait! There was something else we wanted?"

"Really?" said Sonic, Knuckles, Amoeba, and Shadow. Tails bumped them with his elbow.

"Uh… yeah, there was" said Sonic "I almost forgot"

"What is it?" said the man

"We wish to see your… uh… massaging, grooming, and rest club in your city" said Tails

"Where's your invitation?" said the man

"Uh… We… have… OH! We have them in these ruby slippers" said Sonic taking the ruby slippers out.

"T-The ruby slippers?" said the man "I have misjudged you!"

"Well… yeah, we have the ruby slippers" said Sonic "We come from the ruby slipper industry and…"

"Aw bull" said the man "Don't pull my leg, come in, come in"

The man opened the door and let them in the city.

"That was easy" said Shadow

They walked in and saw many people in the green city. They were greeted by a man.

"You for the grooming club?" said the man

"You're not touching my spines!" said Sonic

Then, a couple of ladies came in.

"Hello, are you in for the massaging club?" said the ladies

"Yes I am!" said Sonic

Everybody was taken away and cleaned up. They spent some good times in emerald city. It was finally time for them to see the wizard of oz. They all gathered up to the door.

"I can't wait to get my courage" Shadow said "Think of the possibilities"

"What would you do, Shadow?" asked Tails

"Well" said Shadow "Maybe I'll become a hero of the forest. Maybe earn my rightful title as King of the forest"

Knuckles put a cape around Shadow.

"Future ruler of the forest" said Sonic

Amoeba cracked a pot making a crown-shaped piece and put it on Shadow's head.

"King of the forest" said Tails

"Your highness" said Sonic

"I'd cut down the taxes and make a good leader" said Shadow

"What if someone were to invade?" said Sonic

"Then, I'd send an army" said Shadow "If they won't do it, I'll handle them… I'll handle them all by myself! In fact, I'll go into battle with them"

"Nobody would ever dare go up against the King Shadow!" said Tails

Everybody started to have a good time, then a man barged open the door scaring Shadow half to death.

"Well, that didn't last long" Said Sonic

"No" said The man "everyone go home! The wizard will not see anyone. You five! Go home and come back in the next two years"

"What?!?" said Tails

"You heard me" said the man

"You hear that, guys?" said Sonic walking up to the man "He says the wizard's not up to seeing anyone" he started chuckling for a few seconds then quickly grabbed the guy by the shirt "Listen, buddy! We came a long way to get here. My buddy, Tails, and I want to get home asap, so let us in or I'll push you aside, and trust me, you don't want me to push you aside"

"But the wizard is busy" said the man starting to sweat.

"I could care less of what he's up to" said Sonic "Let us in, or else you'll be in a world of trouble"

"But he doesn't want to see anybody" said the man

"That's his problem" said Sonic "Let us in, now"

"Okay, okay, I'll let you in" said the man

Sonic set him down and said "See, they can be negotiated with"

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amoeba, and Shadow went down the long hallway. They entered a large chamber.

"Who dares enter the presence of the wizard of oz!" said a voice

"Us…" said Sonic

A head appeared out of nowhere and flames fired around him.

"I am the great wizard of oz!" said the head

"That's it?" said Sonic "A head?"

"Not much, is he?" said Tails

"He's funny looking" said Amoeba

"HOW DARE YOU NOT TAKE ME SERIOUSLY!" said the wizard "I don't wish to be bothered right now!"

"Hey, man" said Sonic "We traveled all this way here just to see you and…"

"YOU!" said the wizard

"Yup, it's me" said Sonic

"You are Sonic the Hedgehog" said the wizard "You and your friend Miles Prower have gotten thrown here by a cyclone and you wish to return home"

"Yep" said Sonic

"We really need to get back" said Tails

"BACK AWAY!" said the wizard

They stepped back a bit.

"AMOEBA!" said the wizard

Amoeba stepped forward and said "Hi! I'm a scarecrow"

"Indeed you are!" said the wizard "and you came here to seek a brain!"

"Yep, I'd like a brain" said Amoeba

"BACK!" said the wizard "You stupid bag of straw"

Amoeba stepped back and said "Hey, guys, he called me a bag of straw! Why?"

"KNUCKLES!" said the wizard

Knuckles stepped forward and said "Hey, there wizard-man"

"YOU!" said the wizard "You wish to gain a heart"

"That, I do" said Knuckles

"STEP BACK!" said the wizard

Knuckles stepped back

"SHADOW!" said the wizard

Shadow hesitated, and was shoved up. He stood there speechless.

"You lack courage, you stupid feline" said the wizard

Shadow nodded

"COWARD!" said the wizard

Shadow fled and hid behind Sonic

"Oh, wise guy, eh?" said Sonic. He put his hand behind his back "How many fingers am I holding"

"Two" said the wizard

Sonic put his hand in front of him and saw that he was holding two fingers and said "Man, he's right. You're pretty good"

"DON'T TEST ME, HEDGEHOG!" said the wizard

"Whoa, buddy, calm down" said Sonic

"SILENCE!" said the wizard "I am willing to give you what you seek"

"Really?" said Shadow

"Oh, thank you" said Knuckles

"BUT!" said the wizard "I will not give them to you right now"

"Why?" said Sonic

"Because, I have a task I wish you to do for me" said the wizard

"We'll do it, only if you hold your bargain" said Sonic

"SILENCE!" said the wizard "You must get me… a broomstick"

"That's it? But, you've already got one" said Sonic pointing at a broomstick in the corner.

"NOT JUST ANY BROOMSTICK!" said the wizard "The broomstick of the wicked witch of the west!"

"The w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w…" said Shadow

"YES, THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST!" said the wizard

"Piece of cake" said Sonic "We'll just head on over to the witch's castle, take the broomstick and come back here"

"You take the task lightly" said the wizard "Do you realize how difficult a task it is?"

"Hey, worth a shot" said Sonic "Besides, I'm the world's fastest hedgehog, I can do it instantly"

"Yeah, Sonic can get it for us" said Shadow

"NO!" said the wizard "You must do it together"

"No problem" said Sonic "Tails"

"Right with you, Sonic" said Tails

"BEGONE! AND NEVER COME HERE AGAIN UNTIL YOU DO SO!" said the wizard "ANY LONGER HERE AND YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSIQUENCES!"

Shadow couldn't hold it in much longer. He jumped out from behind Sonic, screaming at the top of his lungs, darted out of the chamber, and jumped out the window.

"Ouch" said Shadow "So… painful… covered… in glass… shards… ow"

Can they do the task at hand?

To be continued…