12

Mockbeggar hall. A rickety, ol' place that was threatening to collapse. Might as well, thought the traveler walking forward towards the entrance. He was just passing by, actually, he was coming to visit someone-someone special. he entered slowly stepping over the dismembered door. He, then, walked up the staircase to a room with a blazing fireplace. He smiled warmly. "Mother," he said. "I'm back."
She smiled and turned her rocking chair around. The boy was not startled by what he saw because the skeleton morphed into a beautiful woman. Blondish-white curls, an airy, blue form: she was an Ozmist, no doubt.
"Le Kay, darling. I'm so glad you returned," said the ghostly Glinda. "How's my favorite son?" she joked.
Le Kay chuckled. "Very well, Mother. I'm proud to give news that I am excelling in sorcery."
Glinda grinned and got comfy in her chair. "Splendid, absolutely splendid, my boy. I knew you would."
He nodded. "And, as always, you were correct. You sent me a telegram; it said you had something important to tell me."
Glinda's glowing face softened, more serious. "Yes, indeed I did. There is a book I want you to get. Now, it won't be easy to find, but I know you'll somehow obtain it. The Grimmerie, I want it."
"I'll get it, but, may I ask, why do you want it?"
Glinda chuckled, almost evilly. "My boy, that is for me to know, and you to find out."
Le Kay nodded, then added, "But how do I-"
"Just follow the yellow-brick road, fly on a broom-stick, go to the Library of Records, do something." Glinda huffed. "My, my, what a bad case of deja-vous. Please, Le Kay, go before I lose my patience."

***
Tay followed close behind Tip down the Yellow-Brick Road. She was tired of waiting for Rain to return, so she decided to look for her lover herself, but there was a problem...she didn't know where to start looking. Tip looked left, then right, but still couldn't figure out which way Rain could've gone; then, something caught her eye: A giant contraption with, what seemed to be, a head of a dragon. The eyes were like fire blazing, as if this dragon saught some sort of revenge. It was then that Tip knew what it was: The Time Dragon Clock. She hadn't seen the mechanism in over a century. The last she saw of it was before...before her mother disappeared.
Tip found herself going towards the clock. The fiery eyes seemed to hypnotize her. The flames did a neverending dance-a sort of Death dance, as it were. The little flickers beckoned her closer. Tay, also, was hypnotized as well, because he, too, stared blankly at the Machine, crawling closer. They both stopped in front of the clock; it had stopped with them, too.
At first, Tip just stared at the clock, but soon the doors opened and her and Tay were sucked inside. It was just as Tip remembered it. There was a little stage that was lit up with a background that somehow would go with the story the Time Dragon would tell. Tip found she couldn't move at all-only breathe and blink. The Time Dragon must want me to watch, she reasoned with assurance.
At once, the show started. Entering stage right was a little girl no older than two. The puppet had flowing blond hair-almost life like. It moved center stage where another puppet was waiting. For a long while, the puppets danced and played little games together; then, another puppet, Tip reasoned was the spouse, entered though a tiny cabinet upstage. The woman and the man puppet shared a brief kiss. The male marionette shooed the little girl away, and she left crying over to stage left. As soon as the girl left, the man gave the woman something, a sort of reddish-purple liquid similar to the Quadlings famous Rose punch (a deadly poison).

She drank it and the puppet collapsed instantly. She was dead. A crown was placed over the man's head and a city of emeralds rose from a trap door. Emerald City, Tip knew, and she knew who the man was: Her father, Pastorious, but she couldn't show any emotions-the Clock wouldn't allow it. Then, another woman entered stage right. It was Mombey! Tip never forgot a face. Mombey went over to Pastorious and they had a love affair. the scene sickened Tip to the utmost level. The scene, then, quickly changed and the little girl entered again upstage. Pastorious pointed to Mombey; the puppet nodded and she took the girl away; then, the scene changed to what appeared to be Munchkinland.

The little girl was crying. Mombey, then, took out a book-the Grimmerie-and read a spell. Suddenly, the little girl shook and spinned; the puppet morphed into a boy. The lights faded, but the Clock was not done. The lights returned and there was a puppet version of the Clock, center stage. Standing next to the puppet clock was Tip. The Tip-puppet entered the Clock; then, came out as her boy version. Next scene: an army of Animals gathered at a castle-Rain's castle at Kiamo Ko. Soon, the lights dimmed and Tip was free to move again.

"What does that even mean?! Why did you show me this? Why did my father kill my mother?!" Tip fell to her knees in tears because for so long she thought that she was responsible for the death of her mother. She had always blamed herself, but now that she knew the truth, she wished she had killed her father instead of Mombey. Yes, she knew it was Mombey who killed her father because she watched her do it; she saw it all.

"I showed you this to reveal the truth of your past and give you insight to your future and to prepare you for what is to come," said a deep, mysterious voice.

Tip looked around, she wondered where the voice came from. "Who's there? Where are you?"

"I am right in front of you," it said again.

Tip looked ahead; she saw nothing. Then, out of the darkness, two eyes glowed red.