The head monkey of the Flying Monkeys escorted Bryson to the dungeons. They walked through Emerald City and Bryson kept his head down. He was in no mood to listen to what the Ozians had to say about him.

He felt a presence hovering around him that suddenly landed in front of him. It was no surprise to see Theodora standing in front of him. Yet he still shuddered.

"Bryson." She smiled as if they were friends in a casual greeting. "Are you being escorted to the dungeon?" Her smile would be sweet somehow, had it not been for what she was doing. For the kind of person she was.

"Yes." Bryson said in response, in an almost monotone voice.

"Well, don't you worry. I have just spoken to Ozma. The trial will commence in a few days. You won't be in the dungeon for too terribly long, then. And I will make sure you're well fed." She smiled.

"Am I going to be at the trial?" He asked, brow raised.

"Oh, yes. You will be. The trial is for everything, really. Multiple cases. If outsiders get to stay here. What happens to Dorothy. As if to start all major legislation I want in place at once. Ozma has made it so the jury will be the citizens of Emerald City. Outsiders are one of the key issues. So we need as many as we can get." Theodora nodded.

"Am I going to get any say in this trial?" Bryson raised his brow.

"I imagine so. That young boy and his mother I've seen you speaking to on a few occasions.. you'll have your say with them. And Gwen and Rebecca and Ethan."

"And what about Dorothy? Do I not get a say in her fate?" Bryson asked, scoffing.

"I don't see why you should. You were not a participant in her murder. What say do you have?" She tilted her head.

"Uh huh.. do I not have a say in anything?" He huffed.

"We're going to being take care of outsider issues. If they're going to live here, they do need to have their issues sorted, no? To live peacefully. That includes the custody ordeal with the boy and his mother. You know them. So I will let you speak for them. Just not Ms. Gale." She shrugged.

"Because you want to make sure she's found guilty.." Bryson muttered.

"That's right." Theodora nodded. "As the victim in the case, I do think I've earned a bias. Besides, all this worry about what say you're going to have really isn't worthwhile. You're going to have plenty of say with what goes on in Oz. Once the trial is over and you rule by my side."

"You're confident that'll happen?" He raised a brow.

"Oh, I know it will." She purred. "What else are you going to do once the trial goes my way? I'm unbeatable with public opinion and the entire force of Emerald City by my side. It's the only option for you if you want a say in what goes on in Oz. Because you can't beat me."

She turned to the citizens of Emerald City and a genuine smile washed over her face. "They.. they like me. For the first time, I have them where I want them because they like me. Not because I forced them to."

"Yes, this time you only manipulated them to like you." Bryson scoffed and rolled his eyes. But he could see it.

They did like her.

And that's what scared him.

They now loved Theodora and hated him. His rule was so sloppy. Fear based extremism that seemingly led to Oz's downfall.

Just like Zavick had said. But because of Zavick's appearance, it had changed.

It was now just a different kind of downfall.

Theodora wordlessly stepped away, as if falling under a trance when she saw the happy looks on the faces of the Ozians that watched her.

Bryson was led back to the dungeon, knowing that the witch had a much better shot at winning this trial. A trial that would dictate the future of Oz. The nature of its people.

In just days, Oz would reform and stand tall and proud - or crumble and fully become a ghost of what it once was.

...

Golder continued to escort Bryson, but he noticed it wasn't the dungeon he was familiar with. It was obscured in the very back of Emerald City. Down a separate flight of stairs.

Golder used a key to unlock a big metal and gray door in front of them. Once the door was open, Bryson was met with a dungeon that looked like something from medieval times.

The bars of the cells were gray and rustic.

Most notably was the immense heat.

It was scorching hot. Bryson wondered why he wasn't led to the other dungeon. Perhaps because they had escaped before.

But the large winked monkey did not lead Bryson to a cell.

Instead, they stepped over down a hallway. At the end there was a pit below them..

A pit of sand. And Bryson could see various figures in the area. Before he could question it, Golder suddenly kicked him into the sand.

"Ah!" Bryson exclaimed as he landed. He was still in his shackles, and he writhed around the sand to see that the entire group was also in shackles in the sand.

"They're not one to give their guests comfort, are they?" Dorothy scoffed in her shackles, her eyes lighting up when she saw Bryson.

The others muttered his name, grunting. Everyone seemed pained at what felt like hot powder under their skin.

Everyone was sweating now. Bryson hoped the heat wouldn't stay like this.

Bryson leaned into Dorothy and sighed. He didn't feel like conversing with anyone else in the group.

She turned to look at him.

"Ya know, even in shackles it's nice to be with you." Bryson joked, trying to find some sort of humor with the situation.

"Quite the charmer even in dire scenarios, are you?" Dorothy chuckled. Her chuckle was almost sad, somehow.

"I try." He sighed, then spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. "The trial is happening soon. Theodora says it'll decide the fate of Dorothy. What happens to outsiders. And the custody issue with Colton." He said. "I guess that's a part of some deal. Since Gwen and Rebecca are teaming up with the witches." He sighed.

"Oh, great. Another custody battle led by an evil witch." Theresa sighed, Colton still asleep in her arms.

"I'm gonna stop her, guys. Theodora's gonna let me be there. At the trial. I can.. I can do this, I feel." Bryson gulped. "When we were at the Tree of Oz, I realized it. That we can stop this trial stuff. We have a few days in here. And I'm gonna spend every second planning this out.."

Bryson cleared his throat and continued to speak. "Their plan is to unite Oz. Make a case to unite anti outsiders and pro outsiders. By letting outsiders stay, but only if they're children. I don't know the specific cut-off date. Seems like a terrible half-measure to pro-outsiders, if anything. And of course... Theodora wants Dorothy to lose the trial. And do god knows what afterwards." Bryson sighed.

He looked up at the sky and cleared his throat. "But I'm not gonna let it happen. Oz should be enjoyed by everyone. It can be perfect. Maybe I can even become Wizard again. Defeat Theodora and Evanora. Zavick. And do it right this time." Bryson smiled over at Dorothy, who gave a weak smile in return. "And I could have help from anyone who wants to assist." He said, his eyes remaining fixated on Dorothy. "And not be so arrogant this time."

Dorothy smiled in response. "I like the way you think. Hopeful. I think we could make it happen.." She smiled.

She reached to hold his hand, then seemingly remembered she was still in shackles. She chuckled and instead just nuzzled further on his chest.

Silence took over for a few minutes. Bryson had no clue if the others were as hopeful as he and Dorothy seemed, despite the circumstances.

"I wonder how long it'll be before we run out of sweat and blood oozes from our skin. Or the heart starts melting the flesh off our bones and we're just a bunch of skeletons with hair and clothes on. That.. that would be cool, actually." Kyle muttered.

Colton was awake now and whimpered next to his mother and Thersea sighed, trying to comfort her son. "Way to ruin the hopeful atmosphere Bryson was setting up."

Bryson was just glad he was setting up the hopeful atmosphere he had wanted to.

"Sorry for scaring you, Colton." Kyle sighed.

"Hey, we can distract him." Tommy suddenly said. "We could tell him stories."

"Yeah. Show him Oz isn't that bad after the scary parts are over." Charlotte agreed.

"It's not a.. sc-scary story?" Colton muttered in his mother's grasp.

"No, it's a wonderful story." Tommy smiled. "So great that it takes two people to tell it." Tommy winked at Bryson. "Bryson can start. Bryson, tell him about Oz. What you've experienced."

Bryson knew what he had to do, how to comfort the small child laying in the sand. "Well. I had a... boring life. A sad life. When I was young. My father was abusive. A broken family. I was quite lonely and the only thing that really comforted me was Oz. A place I thought was fictional. But the magic of it.. the hope. That really inspired me. Made me feel safe and comforted. This idea of something being over the rainbow. Somewhere with no trouble or worry. To escape from your problems."

Colton seemed immediately fascinated as he looked over and Bryson continued with a smile.

"My whole life I thought it was just a story. And somehow, when I was fourteen.. I was proved wrong. One day, I got stuck in a tornado. Sounds scary, right? It was. But I landed in Oz. And it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. The people were lovely. It was like a utopia. Only one problem. It had been corrupted by a man. A man with a magical scepter trying to use its magic to enact revenge on Oz. To terrorize it. But I met a girl. Who was very pretty. Dorothy. And we went on an adventure with a friendly flying monkey."

"I thought flying monkeys were scary." Colton frowned.

"This one's nice. Finley. Me, Dorothy, and Finley went on an adventure on the Yellow Brick Road. There were a few hazards, but.. together we found beautiful connections with each other. And I found myself. I helped defeat the man with the scepter. I fought him and his goons off with the help of Oz rallying behind me. I made a speech to motivate and inspire them, actually. And we stopped the bad guy. And.. it was amazing. An experience that shaped who I am. It was scary sometimes.. but looking back. I don't regret it. I owe Oz so much for that." Bryson smiled fondly. "Before Oz, I was very unsure of myself. Anxious all the time. And then I realized that I have a brain, a heart, courage. That I'm worthy of myself..."

"I have a similar story." Tommy continued the story. "I had an abusive father, too. My mother passed when I was very young. I met Bryson one day, though. He was real nice. I loved Oz like him. Just like Bryson, I wound up there. Through a green tornado. And Charlotte and Kyle were there, too. We all met here. Anyway, it turned out these guys wanted to enslave Oz. Force everyone to be part of a theme park. And we went on an adventure to stop them. Along the way, I learned I was the son of the original king of Oz. Making me the Child of Oz. But during the journey, we were captured in another dungeon. But we got to know each other. We got out of there. And we escaped. And we defeated the bad guys. And we went back home. My aunt was able to adopt me and I didn't have to see my father anymore." Tommy said. "We can win again. Oz always teaches us all lessons through our adventures."

"Wow.." Colton said, smiling now and distracted from any possible terror.

"Mommy had fun in Oz, too. It can be nice." Thersea said in an attempt to comfort her son, stroking his hair.

Bryson looked at Dorothy, who seemed distracted. "You hear that, Dorothy?"

"I do. They're lovely stories." She smiled. "It's just.." She scooted closer, making sure only he could hear. "I do wonder when it's over. I wonder when.. the lessons we learn are behind us. And we can stay here freely. Happy together."

"Maybe this time, Dorothy. Maybe this time." Bryson whispered and nuzzled her. "I'm not gonna let Theodora get to you. I'm gonna help you. I'm gonna help all of us."

...

They all stayed like that for an hour or so, shackled in the sand.

Bryson and Dorothy engaged in small talk and the group talked among themselves.

Once Colton was asleep again, Bryson spoke up.

"Thersea.. I need to know something. This custody battle. I think we can in it. But I need to know the story."

Thersea sighed, rolling her eyes. "It's all so ridiculous, in hindsight."

"I know about Gwen having a miscarriage and losing her own baby. And Rebecca falsely accusing you of attacking her and lying to CPS about it. To take Colton so she and Ethan could adopt him. But.. what's the rest? I need to fill in the blanks." Bryson said.

"During a vacation.. me, Gwen, and Ethan were on vacatin, right? Well, Ethan kissed me when we were alone. Gwen saw it and got so angry. Accused me of trying to steal her husband. Which wasn't true."

"God.. All this happened over a kiss?" Bryson squinted. "I can't believe in our world, you can cause so much commotion over a kiss. All this trouble. In Oz, we'll make it perfect."

"Rebecca sicked CPS on me and they took Colton away from me. All over an allegation, too. With no proof. Then wouldn't let me spend Christmas with my own son. And when Rebecca had custody completely she tried to ship him off to boarding school."

"For a five year old? God, how can that even be a thing? Another thing that can't happen in Oz. God, I had all the power to ensure Oz would be perfect like before. And nothing like our world. Instead, I just made it more like our world and let it get so vulnerable that Theodora could take over. I'm gonna right my wrongs at that trial. I swear it." Bryson huffed.

...

A few more hours passed. Everyone was muttering quietly to themselves. Bryson decided to speak only to Dorothy, to voice his concerns.

"You know.. I don't know if I ever told you about my friend back home. I learned at the Tree of Oz to not blame myself so much. But my old friend Donny? Back... back home he's in jail right now. For something he didn't do. And I tried to fight it. But there was nothing I could do. And I feel terrible knowing he's rotting in jail for a crime he didn't commit." Bryson sighed.

Dorothy frowned, nuzzling into Bryson and kissing on his jaw as if to soothe him. "You're worried it'll happen to me, aren't you?"

"I am, Dorothy.." He shook his head and let a tear fall out. "I've learned not to be selfish. Arrogant. To let my fear get the best of me. But also to not blame myself so much for my mistakes. And I feel.. I've learned the lesson Oz was trying to tell me. And now I just want to get this over with. I want to make sure you find your freedom. And that you're not sent to suffer or god forbid even be killed depending on what the verdict is. The jury is the citizens of Emerald City, you know. And.. they've turned against me. And root for Theodora. The world of Oz has gone upside down. But I think I can speak up at that trial. And turn it around."

"Oh, Bryson.." Dorothy sighed and rested further on his chest. "I believe in you. I do. I think you can do this. You rallied Oz to stop Rabadan when you were fourteen, for crying out loud. I believe you can do this." She smiled up at him. "I believe in you. And I believe in Oz. Your friend.. I'm so sorry about him. But there was nothing you could do. This time, we have a say. The people of Oz might not like you now, but I know they will when they hear the real you again. You speak from the heart. And I know you'll find a way to make it right again."

He smiled back at her.

It was as if that was all the encouragement he had needed.

"You're right.." he said, his stomach filled with butterflies now that he believed he could do this.

"Maybe we can rule together. Win this trial. Stop that future version of myself. And it'll be happily ever after. Just us. And Scarecrow. And Tin Man. Lion. Finley. All our friends. Maybe Tommy, if he stays. Happy together forever. In the land of Oz." He beamed.

"I'd like that." She beamed back.

The trial was looming over them. But they felt hopeful.

...

The trial will finally take place in the next chapter. Can Bryson and friends make the right argument against the anti-outsider rhetoric? Can they prove Dorothy shouldn't be punished for the deaths of Theodora and Evanora? Can they ensure Thersea gets custody of her son? Can they win the trial altogether?

Can they handle all of this and also defeat Zavick, too?

Or will it be too much to handle?

Find out soon! Thank you for all support and reviews, it's greatly appreciated. Have a nice day.x