The Ogre is used to living alone. The only creature he lived with was his son Ludushka, who worshipped his father. So he had not expected to be woken up in his own bed that morning by a cropped old woman with one eye.
The Ogre had hoped very much that the intruder would turn out to be just a dream — but he had to give up this hope when some cropped old woman poured a tub of water on him with magic, standing far away.
— Don't you recognize it?" — What is it? " she rasped. "Or do you need to be reminded of who I am?"…
"Of course, mistress," muttered the Ogre, getting out of bed and drying himself with the blanket. "I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you with your new hairdo."…
"My hair is not your concern," replied the witch of the Purple Land. — I'll tell you what: very soon there will be company in your castle: a straw scarecrow with a pole, an iron man with an axe, a shaggy black beast, a mouse, a crow, an Elemental Tiger, and with them a girl and a boy that you can eat. I'll see that they get here... and all I'll ask for as a reward is the silver shoes that the girl has on her feet and the boy's sword. They don't fit your hand and size anyway. Deal?"
The sorceress almost screamed when the Ogre slapped her palm with his huge hand. But the job was done. Leaping up on her parasol like a broomstick, the witch flew out of the window.
When Ellie woke up in the morning, she yawned.
"Good morning, everyone," she said.
"And the same for you," Kaggi—Carr said.
"That's right.
After searching in his backpack for food, Nikita distributed the food to his friends and they happily began to eat breakfast.
The Scarecrow watched with interest what people called breakfast. He knew that his friends were enjoying him. Probably, Goode was once familiar with this.
He himself was impatient to go on the march — and not just because there was a great Wizard out there somewhere who could give him a brain. The Scarecrow really wanted to see this world, the people who live in it, the animals and birds. I wonder if the other animals are similar to Toto, Taffy, Kaggi-Carr and Tiger…
- Good morning, friends.
The Tin Woodman watched sadly as his companions ate. He himself had not needed food since he had become an iron man. Moreover, he did not recognize tastes.
Having satisfied her hunger, Ellie looked at her friends.
The straw Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, the girl with the dog, the mouse, and the crow, the Tiger with the six elements, and the boy with the alien watch and the magic sword, she thought. - Unusual company. I wonder what lies ahead?»
"I guess we should go," Ellie said. "I hope we find Goodwin in a good mood."
"The Emerald City is still a long way to go," said the Tin Woodman. — We won't get there for three or four days."
He put the axe on his shoulder and stood up. The sun was already high, and the trees cast long shadows. The Scarecrow told his friends about the Tiger's cherished wish, and the company moved forward. The road became more cheerful: the trees receded to the sides, and the sun shone brightly on the yellow bricks.
The road here must have been tended by someone: branches and twigs, knocked down by the wind, were collected and piled at the edges of the road.
Ellie and Toto ran forward. Suddenly, Ellie noticed a post ahead of her, and on it a board with the inscription:
"Traveler, hurry up!
At the turn of the road, all your wishes will be fulfilled!»
Ellie read the inscription and was surprised:
"What is it?" Am I going straight to Kansas from here, to my mom and dad?
Ellie was so excited that she forgot everything else and rushed forward. Toto ran after her, barking merrily.
The Scarecrow, Goode, Taffy, Kaggy-Carr, Nikita, and Tiger, who were deep in conversation, did not notice that Ellie and Toto had run away, and were walking peacefully along the road. Suddenly they heard a shout:
"Ah-ah-ah!" Help!
It was Ellie's scream. It was followed by Toto's furious barking. The friends rushed to the scene of the accident and managed to notice how something shaggy and dark flashed among the trees and disappeared into the thicket. Beside the tree, Toto lay unconscious, blood trickling from his nostrils.
— What happened?" "What is it?" asked the Scarecrow, sorrowfully. "Ellie must have been carried off by a predatory animal…
The Tin Woodman and Nikita said nothing: they kept a sharp lookout and brandished their huge axe and sword menacingly.
"So that's it! Nikita said. "Taffy and Kaggi-Carr will help Toto. The Scarecrow, the Woodcutter, and the Tiger-follow me!
Leaving the backpack to their friends, the Scarecrow, the Elemental Tiger and Goode Curly, led by Nikita, rushed after the kidnapper.
Nikita, the Scarecrow, the Tiger, and the Woodcutter ran after the kidnapper. They quickened their pace, and as they rounded a bend, they saw from a distance that the girl was being dragged by a stranger. The robber sped up at the sight of his friends.
"It seems to me that Ellie was abducted by an Ogre," said the Tiger.
"An Ogre?" "What is it?" said the Tin Woodman. — I've never heard of an Ogre living in this forest.
"He has lived for quite a long time," the Elemental Tiger replied.
— If so, we must hurry!" Nikita shouted. "Otherwise, this thing will eat Ellie!"
And with that, the four of them rushed forward.
The Elemental Tiger was not mistaken. Ellie had been caught by the Ogre who had made the deal with Bastinda. His castle stood on a hill. It was surrounded by a high wall that a cat couldn't climb. In front of the wall was a moat filled with water. After pulling Ellie off, the Ogre lifted the swing bridge and double-bolted the cast-iron gate.
The Ogre lived with his son Ludushka. He used to have sheep, cows, and horses, and he kept many servants. He had a wife and a son. In those days, travelers often passed by the castle to the Emerald City. The ogre attacked them and ate them. Then the Munchkins found out about the Ogre, and the traffic on the road stopped.
The Ogre began to ravage the castle: he ate the sheep, cows and horses, then got to the servants and ate them all. A few years ago, his wife fell into a swamp and died. The Ogre was left alone with his son. In recent years, the Ogre has been hiding in the forest, catching an unwary rabbit or hare and eating it with skin and bones.
The Ogre was overjoyed to catch the girl, and decided to make a feast for himself. He dragged Ellie into the castle, tied her up, and threw her into a small room off the kitchen, while he began to sharpen his knife.
"Klink... klink..." the knife rang.
And the Ogre said:
"Ba-ga-ra!" Noble prey caught! I'll eat my fill now, ba-gar-ra!
The Ogre was so pleased with himself that he even talked to himself:
"Ba-ga-ra!" And cleverly I came up with the idea to hang a board with the inscription! Does she really think I'll grant her wishes? As if not so! I did it on purpose, to lure simpletons like her! Ba-gar-ra!
Ellie cried and begged the Ogre for mercy, but he did not listen to the girl and continued to sharpen the knife.
"Klink... klink... klink..." And the Ogre raised the knife above his head, but then lowered his hand and yawned.
"Ba-ga-ra!" I'm tired of sharpening this big knife! I'm going to rest for an hour or two. After sleep, the food is more pleasant.
The Ogre went into the bedroom, and soon his snoring was heard all over the castle and even in the forest. His son was out walking at the time, so he wasn't home.
The Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow, the Elemental Tiger, and Nikita stood in disbelief before the moat filled with icy water.
"Yes, Ellie was definitely abducted by an Ogre," Tiger said. — I've seen this castle and its ugly occupant before. It won't be easy to save our friend. I'll jump over it, but you will…
— I would swim across the water, — said the Scarecrow, " but the water will wash away my eyes, ears, and mouth, and I will be blind, deaf, and dumb."
— And I will drown — "said the Woodman," for I am very heavy." Even if I get out of the water, I'll rust, and there's no oil can.
"And I'll go down with my weapons," Nikita said. — I really don't want to get wet again." And using the aliens is not an option — I still need a charge in the Omnitrix.
As they stood there, thinking, they heard the Ogre snore.
"We must save Ellie while he sleeps," said the Scarecrow. "Wait, I've got it!" We'll cross the moat now. Goode, my friend, cut down that tree-that's the bridge for us!
"Very clever," said the Woodman. — You've got a brain, haven't you?"
"No, straw," said the Scarecrow, feeling his head.
Goode cut down a tall tree with a fork at the top, and it fell on the castle wall and lay firmly on it. The Tiger jumped over, and the others climbed up the tree. Leaping into the courtyard, the Tiger was bathed in the aura of the elements, the Scarecrow took out his pole, and the Woodman took out his axe. Nikita activated the watch, selected the desired silhouette, and transformed. The body was covered with gray skin, and long claws grew on the hands. There were black lines all over his body, and his legs had become a constantly wriggling tail. The alien itself was floating in the air, and a single green eye was located on a face without hair or a mouth. The Omnitrix symbol was on his chest.
— So how is this alien going to help us?" Goode asked.
"It's Ghostfreak. It can pass through walls and become invisible, " said the Ectonurite. "Take care of the door, and I'll find Ellie."
Passing through the wall, the Ghostfreak found himself in a small room near the kitchen. Ellie, seeing him, wanted to scream, but the Ghostfreak stopped her mouth.
"Ellie, are you tired of living?" "What is it?" he asked. "It's me, Nikita, only as an alien. See the Omnitrix?
The girl saw the badge on the alien's chest and calmed down.
— I thought I was finished."
"Stop thinking about it! Ectonurite said. — We would have found you anyway and saved you." But we don't have time to talk. We need to leave.
The Ghostfreak freed the girl from the ropes and opened the door of the closet with its claws.
At this time, the Tin Woodman put the tip of the axe in the crack between the door and the jamb, pressed, and-bang! "the door flew off its hinges. Ellie and the Ghostfreak ran out of the door.
"Let's get out of here," the Elemental Tiger said.
The Tiger turned its head toward the door and pricked up its ears. Just in case, he prepared for a big jump.
They had not gone half the distance to the wall when a noise was heard from the castle. It looks like the Ogre has woken up.
"Run!" Ellie, hurry up! Goode shouted.
Hearing the noise coming from the castle, the girl was even more frightened.
"Is he awake?"
Ellie hoped that she and her friends would be able to get out of the castle before the Ogre caught up with them.
She was only a short distance from the wall when she turned and saw the Ogre running out of the castle.
"Oh, no! all she could say was.
The Ogre was short, but very fat. His head was like a large cauldron, and his body was like a barrel. He had long arms like a gorilla, and his feet were shod in boots with thick leather soles. He was wearing a shaggy cloak made of animal skins. On his head, instead of a helmet, the Ogre put a copper pot, the handle back, and armed himself with a huge wooden club with a bump on the end, studded with sharp nails.
He growled menacingly, and his boots rattled: "Top-top-top..." And the sharp, sharp teeth chattered: "Clack-clack-clack…»
"Ba-gar-ra!" You won't leave, you scammers!..
The Ghostfreak wanted to possess the Ogre, but the Omnitrix suddenly blinked and turned the Ghostfreak back into a human. With a menacing growl, the Elemental Tiger charged at the enemy. Apparently, the Ogre did not expect an attack, because he did not immediately respond. For a short time the Tiger hung on the Ogre's shoulders, but was soon thrown away. Almost immediately, he was on his feet.
- Oh, you are so! Okay. You asked for it.
The Tiger growled menacingly — and a jet of flame shot out of its mouth, surrounding the Ogre in a ring of fire. After that, the predator caught up with its companions in two jumps.
"The fire will delay him. Run!" Tiger said to his companions.
But then they saw that the Ogre had trampled on the fire and was running at them. The friends prepared for battle, but suddenly, the Scarecrow threw himself at the Ogre's feet. The Ogre, who had not expected this, somersaulted over the Scarecrow.
"Ba-gar-ra!" What a scarecrow that is!
Before the Ogre could recover, a Woodman leaped up behind him, raised a huge, sharp axe, and cut the Ogre in half, along with the pot. After that, the friends ran to their comrades.
When they reached the tree, they saw that Taffy and Kaggi-Carr had somehow stopped Toto's blood.
- Toto! Ellie shouted, rushing to her pet and taking it in her arms. "How are you?"
The girl thanked her rescuers several times, and even kissed them. The company waited for Toto to rest and recover from the blow and for Ellie to calm down, as she was very scared. Toto quickly rested and recovered, but Ellie still could not get away from the shock.
"Ellie's all right, okay? Nikita said, soothing the girl and stroking her back. - Come on, calm down, I'm asking you, calm down. This little bastard is dead, he's been hacked to pieces by the Goode, he won't do anything to you anymore. All right, all right…
— I'm really scared! Ellie was hysterical. — I was on the verge of death!" I saw murder for the first time in my life! Do you think it's easy for me now?!
"But you are safe now," said the Scarecrow. — You are no longer in danger.
"Ellie, you don't have to be so scared," Taffy said. — We understand you. Everything will be alright.
The girl began to cry. She began to shake. Toto was licking her face, but Ellie still couldn't calm down.
Nikita took her by the shoulders and said seriously.
"Ellie, I swear to you: no matter what happens in our path, no matter who our opponent is, I promise, we will all protect you. We are your friends, and I personally stand up for my friends.
Ellie hugged her friends tightly and finally calmed down. The girl asked everyone to apologize for this scandal, but no one blamed her — it wasn't her fault that the Ogre had kidnapped her! The friends gathered their things and went out on the yellow brick road, after which they went to the Emerald City to have the great wizard Goodwin fulfill their cherished wishes.