*Chapter 6: Emerald City, Meeting the Wizard!*
After a sudden small snooze in the poppy fields, Maria and the others ran down the yellow brick road again and they are getting close to the gates of Emerald City. Maria knocked on the large door. A little door above her and the others opened, a mobian yellow fox pop his head out. He is wearing a green suit, and a green hat.
"Can I help you?" A fox asked, looking down at Maria.
"Yes, thank you." Maria replied, looking at the young fox. "We would like to see the Wizard of Oz. We came all the way from Chao Land, the corn fields, and the woods to get here. We need to see the wizard."
"So that way he can give me a brain, Omega a heart, and Big needs to find Froggy." Sonic says with a pride smile. Shadow rolled his eyes.
"Well, I'm sorry, but the wizard is busy at the moment." The fox said uneasy. "I would like to try to get you in, but...you all don't seem to fit in here."
"And what makes you say that?" Shadow asked with a glare. "Is it because we don't belong in this world or is it because that we cannot see the wizard at all?"
"Shadow, please!" Maria hissed. She looked at the fox again. "Please, little fox. We really-"
"I'm Tails."
"Oh. Tails." Maria said, learning the name. "We were sent here. Mostly, me and Shadow were sent here by Amy, the Good Witch of the North. She gave me the ruby slippers." Maria lifted her left foot to show Tails the slipper. Tails studies it with his blue eyes. The slipper sparkles like rubies indeed. Maria now puts down her foot as Tails gasps in awe as he realizes.
"Well I'll be!" He says with a smile. "Why didn't you just say so?! Come on in!" Tails closed the little door and then the large door opened for Maria and the others. Inside, there is a city! Mobians around were wearing green clothes. Maria now realizes that she is the only human of Oz. Is she? Her thoughts were interrupted when Tails announced her and the others about getting all freshed up before seeing the wizard.
In the room where anyone can get refreshed, Sonic had his straw redone and he felt so good as new than before. He is now sitting on his chair, letting two male mobians putting straw in his spikes, he never felt so relaxed in his life.
"I'm glad that I tag along with Maria and Shadow. I would love to sit back and relax for a while before getting a brain." Sonic says to himself. Next to Sonic, there is Omega standing in the center to get cleaned up by four male mobians with cloths. Omega's parts shines up. Inside, he is happy. Next to Omega, there was Shadow sitting on the chair, letting two female mobians brushing his spikes and chest fur. Shadow had to admit that he likes this.
"Now this is the life." Shadow said with a smile. He shuts his eyes, relaxing as the mobians were brushing his fur and spikes. Next to Shadow, Big is being massaged and brushed by three male mobians. Big thought to himself that he wish that Froggy was here with him and will love this. Last but not least, Maria is sitting on the chair with four female mobians, brushing her hair to make it so soft, doing her nails, and add a little eye makeup on her.
"You look so beautiful, darling." A female goose said with a smile, brushing Maria's hair.
"Thank you, miss." Maria said.
"We've never seen a human being since the Wizard came along." A female white cat said. Maria blinked. So she isn't the only human being in Oz. The wizard is human. "I'm sure you will be very pleased to see him, sweetie." The cat continued. Maria smiled. Then, screaming is heard outside, making everyone stop doing what their doing. Maria got up from her seat and ran outside to see what was going on. She looked up at the sky and saw Rouge there flying above the city! But she is getting half lower down to the building, looking down at the frightened mobians, and more importantly, Maria.
"So, you finally made it, Maria." Rouge says. "You will have to surrender those shoes to me soon enough!" Maria glared at up at her. Rouge then flies away. Maria turned as she heard mobians complaining and ran over to the doors of the wizard's! Maria ran through the crowd and saw a red echidna in front of the doors, telling everyone to back away from the doors.
"Get back, everyone! It's alright! That witch is gone now!" He hollared. "Everyone, go home now! The wizard is busy right now!" As the mobians left, Maria is standing below the steps, staring at the echidna.
"Please, sir. I really need to see the wizard!" She begged. "All of us need to!"
"There's only you, little girl." The echidna growled. Shadow, Sonic, Big, and Omega finally caught up with Maria. The echidna sighed a little. "Good one. You got me. You got the ol' Knuckles."
"Let us see the wizard!" Sonic said.
"No one will see the wizard! Not nobody, not no how!" Knuckles told him in Sonic's face. "I'm sick of saying this!"
"We're sent here by the Good Witch! Maria and Shadow were sent here by her as well." Sonic said. Knuckles turned to Maria and Shadow. He did hear that Rouge is talking about her not too long ago before she flew away. Knuckles sighed in defeat.
"Well, I have no other choice." He said. "Come on, you guys. The wizard is straight ahead in the hall." Knuckles opened the large doors and stepped out of the way. Maria and her friends were walking inside to the hall. This is it. They are going to see the Wizard of Oz.
"Froggy, are you in here little buddy?" Big called, making everyone jump except Omega.
"We'll find him, Big. Don't worry." Maria said. "We're going to see the wizard now."
"I hope he knows where Froggy is..." Big said in a sad tone. "I'm really worried about him."
"Come on, we have to get going." Sonic said. "We don't want to keep the wizard waiting, do you?"
"THROUGH THOSE DOORS AHEAD, A WIZARD IS IN THE THRONE." Omega said. So, everyone were walking through the hall and made it to the doors that opened for them. Inside is like a throne room. On the throne, there is a robot that looks like...Sonic. It is sitting on the throne with its red eyes.
"...He looks like you, Sonic!" Maria gasps.
"No way, it couldn't be..." Sonic said, not believing this either. But, this robot they are seeing is Metal Sonic. Why did those mobians told Maria that the wizard is human? Did they lie to her so she wouldn't be an outcast?
"I AM OZ. THE GREAT AND POWERFUL." Metal Sonic said in a deep, robotic voice. "WHO ARE YOU? AND WHY ARE YOU SEEKING ME?" Maria and Shadow got in front of their friends, staring at Metal Sonic.
"We...have come to ask you." Maria said. "If you please, I am Maria Robotnik. And this is Shadow."
"We come all the way to ask a request." Shadow said. "We need to return to our world." Metal Sonic now stood up straight, glaring down at Maria and Shadow.
"SILENCE!" It hollered. Maria backed away in shock and Shadow took a step back. "I KNOW WHY YOU ARE ALL HERE. YOU CAME ALL THE WAY FROM THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD. THE HUMAN GIRL AND THE BLACK HEDGEHOG WANTED TO RETURN TO THEIR WORLD. THE BLUE HEDGEHOG SCARECROW REQUESTED A BRAIN. A ROBOT REQUESTED A HEART. AND A LIVING CAT REQUESTED A FROG FRIEND THAT HOPPED AROUND THE WORLD." It said.
"Yes, sir." Maria said with a nod. "Exactly. Will...you give us what we wanted?"
"THEY ALL WILL BE GRANTED." Metal Sonic said.
"Really?!" Sonic asked with a smile.
"THEY WILL BE GRANTED IF YOU ALL PASS ONE TASK." Metal Sonic said. "BRING BACK THE BLOOD OF THE BAT, THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST. A TUBE OF BLOOD." Maria went pale. Get the blood from Rouge? How?
"...Is there any other task than that?" Maria asked in a nervous voice.
"Yeah. The bat is after Maria's shoes." Sonic said.
"What if we get killed by her?" Big asked.
"NO OTHER CHOICE. BRING ME THE TUBE OF THE WITCH'S BLOOD. NOW, GO!" Metal Sonic said. He pointed at the doors.
Maria is outside with her friends, pacing around the front doors. She will do anything to do the task in order to get home with Shadow. Sonic, Shadow, Big, and Omega don't want to do this, but Maria had to do it. She was really nervous about this task that seems so daring, but there are no other options but to do the task the wizard wants.
"We're not going to do it, Maria." Shadow said. "It's too dangerous."
"You wanted to go home, don't you?" Maria asked. "We have to do this task! My grandfather might be worried by now! And I'm worried too."
"I don't want to be strawed by that witch!" Sonic said. "And I have no idea how to let her guard down."
"I think it's best if I find Froggy myself." Big said.
"I WILL MOVE ON WITHOUT A HEART. THE WICKED WITCH WINS THIS ROUND." Omega said. Maria stares at her friends. They are giving up their dreams. Not Maria.
"I cannot believe my ears." She said with a look. "You all had dreams to get something you need for life, but now you wanted to give them all up?" Her friends didn't say a word. But Shadow came to her.
"Look, we'll find another way to get home ourselves." He said. "The task the robot gave us is too risky. I don't want you to get hurt by Rouge." Maria turned her head away. There is the exit to leave the Emerald City. She knew what was best for herself. Plus, she will do this for her friends.
"...Fine." She finally said. "You guys stay here in Emerald City. I'll just...go to Rouge's castle by myself."
"What?!" Sonic, Shadow, and Big asked in shock.
"I'm going there. I don't care if I get hurt or if my shoes are taken away, I will do anything to get back home." Maria said. She started to run off towards the exit of Emerald City.
"Maria, no!" Shadow yelled. "You can't do this alone!"
"Well, this is just great..." Sonic muttered. "She's gonna be killed out there."
"We have to follow her, so she won't have to get hurt." Big said. "That witch will hurt her no matter what."
"...We bailed just a minute ago, and now we decided to do this because Maria is going there alone." Sonic said. "C'mon, let's go." He ran down to the exit of the city as Shadow, Omega, and Big followed him. Now the task has begun...