Disclaimer, you know.
As the sun began to rise and the center of the business district cleared both Dorothy woke to find a blanket wrapped around her and the old man no where to be found. Everything seemed just as it was when she dozed off and she knew didn't have the blanket around her before that either. She smiled and got up. Grabbing the scepter she smiled and found a pad of paper and as well as a pen. She then quickly jotted a note down thanking the man for his hospitality and she was sorry that she didn't stick around. She then signed the note and left it in plain sight before exiting the house. As she found her way out of the alleyway and back to the center of the business district, she found it completely empty as opposed to earlier that morning. She quickly ran back towards the entrance to the palace. When she got there she found Alex waiting for her, looking at her with an upset look on his face.
"Okay, I know I have some explaining to do." Dorothy said.
"oh yea, big time, but I think Glinda went to go ask your aunt and uncle something, so I'd wait for her first." Alex said.
"Dorothy Madeline Gale!" came the voice of not Glinda but her aunt Em.
"Your middle name is your mother's first name?" Alex asked.
Dorothy sighed and handed Alex the scepter. They both then walked to the chambers where aunt Em, Glinda, and Ozma waiting for her. Glinda walked over to her and gave her an upset look.
"I thought I told you not to go out that early." Glinda said.
"Glinda, I'm sorry, I don't know why I did it, I really don't, but I…" Dorothy said before Glinda placed her hand over Dorothy's mouth.
"Dorothy, we told you not to endanger yourself, and you go and do it again, child, it saved me the trouble of getting that packet to you but you shouldn't have left the confines of the palace." Glinda said.
"Glinda don't be too hard on her, at least give her a chance to explain herself." Alex said.
"Alex why don't you go find something to do, I'll send Dorothy to find you later if she's lucky." Glinda said.
"Take your hand off her mouth first." Alex said.
"Alex listen to Glinda." Em said.
Alex sighed in defeat and left the room. Glinda after she was sure he was gone turned her attention back to Dorothy.
"Now, Dorothy I'm going to take my hand off of your mouth, and I want you to explain, why you did it, Ozma, you go after Alex and keep him company." Glinda said.
Ozma nodded and ran out of the room after Alex. Glinda then sighed and motioned for Em to come over before removing her hand from Dorothy's mouth.
"Glinda, I don't know why, all I know is that I woke up to the feeling of being watched, and then a feeling compelled me to go for a walk to shake it off, before I knew it I was in the business district." Dorothy said.
"Still, you put yourself in danger when there is someone out there who actually does want to kill you, and won't stop trying till they succeed." Glinda said.
"what Glinda's trying to say dear, is that you need to be more careful, listen to your conscience more than your gut instinct and the mad impulses." Em said.
"That's not at all what I'm saying Emily." Glinda said.
"Yes, I think it is." Em said sounding a little shocked.
"What I'm saying is that Dorothy needs to stop doing things that could get her captured, tortured, or worse." Glinda said.
"Which is basically what I said just not as dumbed down." Em replied
"Dorothy, until we can agree on a proper punishment for you, you are to be confined to your bedroom, no ifs, ands, or buts." Glinda said.
"But glin…"Dorothy started to say before she found Glinda's hand clapped over her mouth again.
Glinda gave Dorothy an angry glare. Dorothy sighed in defeat and stormed out of the room. When she arrived at her bedroom she ran to her bed and jumped onto it. She then lay face down and began crying. Toto and pockets jumped up on the bed and tried to cheer her up but received no response, Toto then barked loudly and soon Alex came into the room carrying the scepter. He sighed and walked over to Dorothy and sat down on the bed next to her. Ellie had been watching her sister's actions and Ozma had been watching quietly in a mirror. He could understand that Dorothy was upset, but he didn't understand why she was crying.
"Dorothy, please, I know you're frightened but please, don't worry about it, Ellie has gone to try and talk some sense into Glinda." Alex said placing a hand on her shoulder.
Dorothy stopped crying and rolled over. She looked at Alex and took his hand into her own.
"Alex, I've never seen Glinda so angry before, the look she gave me, it was like she was trying to burn right through me." Dorothy said.
"Dorothy, I know, we were watching the entire time, and I think Glinda is just a little more anxious since the attack, but why didn't you wake me up?" Alex asked curiously.
"Alex, I'm not even sure why I left the room in the first place." Dorothy said.
Alex sighed and squeezed Dorothy's hand. It was then that Ellie came into the room. She looked at the two of them with a worried expression.
"Ellie, please tell me Glinda hasn't decided to do anything rash" Alex said.
"She won't, but I've never seen her so upset." Ellie said.
"I think she's just a little anxious and paranoid since the attack." Alex said.
"Me too, but still she's upset, and is rather jumpy, kind of like me with thunder." Ellie said,
"Alright Ellie, please, if you wouldn't mind leaving me, Dorothy, and Alex alone?" Glinda asked walking into the room.
Toto barked loudly and jumped off the bed followed by pockets. They both ran up to Glinda and growled.
"Toto, pockets, leave Glinda alone, I broke the rules and now I have to pay for it." Dorothy said
"But Dorothy, who knows what she will do." Toto replied.
"Toto, you and pockets need to go with Ellie, don't worry about me." Dorothy said
Toto let out a whimper and he and pockets left the room with Ellie. Glinda then walked over to the bed and sat down next to Alex.
"You're lucky I don't just have Roquat come here and turn you into a kitten again, and if it weren't for your wrist I would." Glinda said.
"Glinda, don't say things like that, especially when we know you're upset." Alex said.
"Alex, I mean it, but as the antidote for the toxin still isn't finished I can't take the risk of having her transformed with that injury, as for a punishment, your aunt convinced me to let you find a way to redeem yourself, and I'll let you work out how you're going to do that on your own." Glinda said.
"I guess that's fair, I guess Alex and I should be grateful you aren't giving us anything else." Dorothy said.
"You really should but I think you just need to consider yourself lucky that you didn't get harmed while you were out in the business district." Glinda said.
"Dorothy, Glinda has a point, with all the people out in the business district that early, many of them wanting to get rid of you, I was worried sick." Alex said.
"well now that that's out of the way, Dorothy, I want you to run to my room, on the desk you should find a list of ingredients, if it's not there then I have to go and figure out what Alison has been up to." Glinda said.
Dorothy nodded and got up. Grabbing the scepter she quickly ran out of the room.
Meanwhile elsewhere in Oz.
Evanora had been watching everything unfold. She was almost ready to do a full attack on the city. As her shadow returned to her she became aware that all was not well. Something else was threatening her plans but she didn't know what it was.
Meanwhile somewhere else in the city.
The jester had also been looking at things in his own crystal. He knew soon he would have to reveal himself to Dorothy and the others. He then came up with a plan. The next time Dorothy and Alex were alone he would reveal himself to them.
Back in the palace.
Dorothy had quickly gotten to Glinda's room and found the list. Bringing it back to her bed room, Glinda took the paper from her and read it through mumbling to herself. Dorothy looked at Alex and shrugged as Glinda left the room and shut the door behind her. It was then that Dorothy looked Alex in the eye. He had a look on his face that said that he was hiding something. Alex realized this sighed.
"Dorothy, I wish I could tell you what Glinda told me, but she made me promise to let you learn on your own." Alex said.
"Can I at least get a hint?" Dorothy asked.
"sorry." Alex replied.
"Why did she tell you not to tell me?" Dorothy asked.
"Because she also made a promise not to tell you." Alex said.
"Well you know I hate being left in the dark." Dorothy said.
"Not my choice." Alex said.
Dorothy opened her mouth to say something when a knock on the door was heard.
"Come in." Dorothy said.
As the door opened Ozma walked into the room followed by Ellie. They walked over to the bed and sat down on the floor.
"I'm just glad Glinda decided to give you another chance, I honestly thought she was going to do something drastic." Ozma said.
"If my sister had done anything drastic, Locasta and I would have tried to get her to change her mind." Ellie said.
Dorothy smiled and looked at her friends. She then began to feel as if she was being watched again. This time however she didn't express it. She simply continued to smile and then laid down on the bed. Seconds later Toto and pockets both jumped up on the bed and sat down next to her head.
"Dorothy, please don't leave the city at night again." Toto said.
"I promise I won't Toto, at least not unattended anyways." Dorothy said.
"He asked you not to leave at night anymore didn't he?" Alex asked.
"yes." Dorothy replied.
"Dorothy. I'm going to be frank with you right now, none of us really want you leaving the palace at night, even if you don't go alone, it's still incredibly dangerous." Ozma said.
"Thank you Ozma, I know, still I don't know what I was thinking when I did it to begin with." Dorothy said.
"And you wonder why I tend to sleep in the chair I have set up in here." Alex said.
"Actually I don't, but to be honest, with the amount of time you spend in here rather than your own room, I'm surprised that our rooms haven't been merged yet or something like that." Dorothy said.
"What would be the point?" Ellie asked.
"Ellie, it bothers me that you had to even ask that." Ozma immediately replied before Dorothy or Alex could say a thing.
"I'm with Ozma on this one, but Ellie does bring up a good point, even if Dorothy and I did share a room, that wouldn't stop me from sitting at your bedside every night." Alex said looking down at Dorothy.
Dorothy smiled and sat up again. She then rested her head on Alex's shoulder. Alex smiled and put his arm around her. Dorothy sighed and closed her eyes. She then realized even though she only woken up no less than an hour earlier that she was getting drowsy again. And a moment later, she had nodded off.