SCENE 7

Lights come up on a green backdrop. Dorothy, Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow are being escorted across the stage. A handful of Emerald City citizens are milling around. The Emerald City citizens are wearing green clothes and green sunglasses.

GUIDE
This is such a rare request. Not very many people seek an audience with the Wizard.

DOROTHY
Why not?

GUIDE
The great and powerful Wizard requires a steep payment for his services. Most people abandon all hope of assistance before they leave the Wizard's chamber. Look at me, I'm already trembling and I'm only escorting you to see the Wizard.

LION
Oh, I knew we shouldn't have come. I'm so scared. I want to hide. Can you show me a good place to hide?

TIN MAN
Don't let your emotions get the best of you. It will be okay. No one is that mean.

LION
The Wicked Witch of the West is.

SCARECROW
(as the group exits stage right)
If the Wizard is so powerful, why would he need to ask for a payment? Wouldn't he be able to do anything he wants?

WIZARD
(off stage, booming voice)
Who dares disturb me?

Citizens of the Emerald City tremble and turn toward stage left as Toto and his group enter in pairs. Courage is arguing with Brain. Toto and Heart are talking behind them.

COURAGE
How dare you say I'm wasting my life?

BRAIN
It's quite elementary. You spend your life running around trying to prove you aren't a wimp, when you already know you aren't.

COURAGE
But not everyone is aware of my abilities.

BRAIN
Who cares if everyone thinks you're the strong hero?

COURAGE
I do.

BRAIN
That's your problem. You are wasting time trying to impress people who don't really matter, time that could be put to better use mind you. You were mad at the lion because he listened to his peers. Now you're engaged in the same endeavor. You are attempting to define yourself through the viewpoints of others instead of listening to your own judgments. You have the power to do, to have whatever you want. Yet all you want to do is impress your peers.

COURAGE
As if you should talk. The only reason you're here is for acknowledgment from your peers.

BRAIN
Absolutely, but at least my efforts matter. I'm helping to improve this world. What are you doing?

COURAGE
I'm doing plenty.

BRAIN
Plenty of nothing. Fighting everyone you meet does not a better world make.

COURAGE
At least I'm out experiencing the world. I'm not afraid to take a stand, to make my presence felt. You hide away in your own little corner. You only interact with the world through journals and conferences. You have no idea what the world is about. No one in your peer group knows what the real world is about.

BRAIN
I understand more than you'll ever contemplate. I've read the books. I've studied all of the facts.

COURAGE
That isn't real and you know it. You must have read about people like you somewhere in all those pages. There is more to truth than facts in a book. It takes more effort to understand the world, to develop the experience needed to survive in this unpredictable reality. Absorbing other people's knowledge only takes you so far. The rest is up to you.

BRAIN
You only think this world is unpredictable because you haven't studied it.

COURAGE
I've studied it from the inside out. I lived the chaos. I understand the complexity of it all. And I wouldn't give it up for all the books in Oz. Life would be too easy, not a challenge at all, if I followed your lead.

BRAIN
Too easy? You are even dumber than I thought. It takes a lot of effort to devote my life to research. Every second is a challenge. The pursuit of the unknown is a rewarding struggle. You'd never survive in my world. It would grind you up completely.

HEART
I've never seen so much green in my entire life. I love it.

TOTO
Don't you think it's a little too much?

HEART
What do you mean?

TOTO
It's dazzling, but it's so monotonous. Where is the contrast? Where is the diversity?

HEART
The splendor is enough for me.

TOTO
I'm not so sure.

HEART
Think what you want. This place is a welcome sight. It stirs up wonderful memories of Mary. She had the most exquisite green eyes. If you weren't careful, you could melt into those eyes. I really miss her beauty.

TOTO
How many years has it been since you've seen Mary?

HEART
I was never good at keeping track of time.

TOTO
What if Mary's physical beauty has dwindled since the last time you saw her?

HEART
You have a low opinion of true love if you think it so shallow. Mary was an attractive woman, but my love for her ran deep, down to her soul. When I was with her, I forgot the rest of the world existed. Her mind, her body, her soul constituted my entire universe. I loved every aspect, every nuance. Her dwindling physical beauty, as you so crudely put it, would not alter my love for her in the slightest. I feel sorry for you that you have never known such a love.

WIZARD
(off stage)
Do not return until you have completed your task!

Dorothy and her group cross the stage in a panic. Dorothy continues on without acknowledging Toto, Brain, Heart and Courage. The Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow run into their counterparts and act agitated before breaking free and following Dorothy off stage left.

BRAIN
What a bunch of morons.

COURAGE
Scared weaklings.

TOTO
Maybe we shouldn't go in. It doesn't sound like the Wizard is in a good mood.

COURAGE
Nonsense. Of course we're going in. No way is a voice going to intimidate me.

Toto's group walks in place as the citizens of Oz exit stage left. A screen with a wrinkled face appears stage right. Brain studies the contraption, Heart is awed and Courage stands tall next to Toto.

TOTO
(clears his throat)
Oh great and mighty Wizard.

Nothing happens.

COURAGE
I'll show you how to do it. (in booming voice) Hey Wizard, where are you? We need to talk.

WIZARD
Two disturbances in one day? This is unheard of.

COURAGE
That's tough. What else do you have to do?

WIZARD
Who dares speak to me like this?

TOTO
(holds Courage back)
You'll have to forgive my friend. She misplaced her humility years ago. We have journeyed a great distance to seek your assistance.

WIZARD
My assistance is offered with a price.

TOTO
We are prepared for whatever you require.

BRAIN
This device doesn't make sense. The power supply is very weak and there is no transmission source. The Wizard must be...

WIZARD
Stand back, now! (Brain retreats) No one may approach the Wizard's sanctuary.

HEART
Why isn't the sanctuary green?

TOTO
What are you babbling about?

HEART
Everything else in the city is green. Why not this device?

BRAIN
Being green or not green has nothing to do with its function.

HEART
Of course not. I'm just amazed at the contrast. I thought consistency was a prerequisite for the Emerald City.

TOTO
Will you please be quiet?

WIZARD
Silence! What is your request?

TOTO
I'm looking for a way back home to Kansas with my owner Dorothy.

WIZARD
Is that all you want?

TOTO
Well, actually, dropping us off in Memphis or St. Louis on our way to Kansas would be even better. Dorothy needs a chance to experience the world. And of course Brain here would like a forum to present her research. Heart also wants help locating his lost love.

COURAGE
And I want the chance to prove my mettle against the toughest foe in the land. I want a quest that will demonstrate my heroism to everyone.

TOTO
I thought you weren't interested in anything.

COURAGE
I changed my mind. The journey here wasn't exciting enough.

WIZARD
I am glad to hear that. The last group winced at my request, but you will enjoy it. I will offer you all the assistance you require if you dispatch the wicked witches who plague the land.

TOTO
I already killed the witch from the east. Isn't that enough?

COURAGE
You killed a witch? No way!

BRAIN
That's unprecedented. How did you do it?

TOTO
The house I was in crushed her.

BRAIN
That will do it.

HEART
So sad. So sad.

WIZARD
Already accomplishing half your task does not fulfill my request. Leave me now and do not return until the task is complete. (Wizard vanishes)

COURAGE
This is going to be a great fight.

HEART
I don't want to fight.

TOTO
Neither do I.

BRAIN
I wonder if we can find another house to drop on her. No. That won't work. She'll be expecting that.

COURAGE
Not good enough. She needs to know who is killing her when the moment arrives. This fight needs to be personal.

Fade to Black