NOTE: Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 7: A Cowardly Lion
The four friends continued to travel on the yellow brick road, and eventually they entered the dark forest. The group slowed down their pace, as strange noises began to come from all around them.
"I don't like this forest," Twilight said uneasily. "It's dark and creepy."
"Of course, I don't know for sure, but it'll probably get darker before it gets any lighter" Scarecrow guessed.
"I agree" Spike whimpered.
"Tinman, do suppose we'll meet any wild animals?" Twilight asked.
"We might" Tinman answered.
"Animals that eat s-s-straw?" Scarecrow stuttered.
The man of metal thought for a moment. "Well some, but mostly lions and tigers and bears."
"Lions?" Spike asked.
"And t-t-tigers?" Scarecrow stuttered.
"And bears" Tinman nodded.
"Lions and tigers and bears? Oh, my!" Twilight gasped, as they began to walk faster and started to sing.
[All Four]
Lions and tigers and bears
[Twilight Sparkle]
Oh, my!
[All Four]
Lions and tigers and bears
[Twilight Sparkle]
Oh, my!
[All Four]
Lions and tigers and bears
[Twilight Sparkle]
Oh, my!
[All Four]
Lions and tigers and bears
[Twilight Sparkle]
Oh, my!
[All Four]
Lions and tigers and bears
[Twilight Sparkle]
Oh, my!
Suddenly, there came a loud growling from the bushes around them, making the travelers stop in the center of the road and look around. After a moment or two, the growling stopped, and the forest was completely silent.
"Oh, that scared me" Twilight whispered.
"That scared me too" Scarecrow whispered as well.
Once the Scarecrow said that, a loud roar came from in front of them, making Twilight scream in terror. Right after that, a great lion bounded into the road, walking straight towards them. The group backed up slowly, but the lion kept creeping closer. The lion suddenly jumped and landed in the center of the group, making the Tinman and Scarecrow fall down. Twilight and Spike hid behind a nearby tree, while the big beast growled some more. The lion then stood on his hind legs and put his fists up, as if he was eager to start a brawl. In Twilight's eyes, the lion's face resembled that of Patrick from Equestria.
"Put' em up! Put' em up!" the lion spoke to Scarecrow and Tinman with a tough voice. "Who wants to go first? I'll take you both on, if ya want. I'll fight ya with one paw tied behind my back! I'll fight ya hopping on one foot! I'll fight ya with my eyes closed!"
"That'll get their attention" Spike muttered to himself.
The lion noticed the Tinman's axe and crept closer to him. "Oh, pulling an axe on me, eh? Sneaking up on me, eh? Why, I oughta..."
"We're just passing through. Go away and leave us alone" Tinman spoke with as much confidence as he could, but the lion didn't go away.
"Oh, scared, huh? Afraid, huh? How long can ya stay fresh in that can? Ha, ha, ha, ha!" the lion laughed at his own joke, before glaring at the Tinman and Scarecrow. "Come on, get up and fight, ya shivering junkyard! Put your hands up, ya overgrown bag of straw!"
"Okay, that's getting personal, Lion" Scarecrow pointed out.
"Yes, get up and teach him a lesson, Scarecrow" Tinman spoke.
"What's wrong with you teaching him?"
"Well...I barely even know him."
Spike, knowing he had to help them somehow, went up to the beast and barked at him.
"I'll get you anyway, small fry" Lion growled, as he chased after the puppy.
Fearing for Spike's safety, Twilight ran forward and slapped the lion on the nose, making him fall onto his rear end.
"Shame on you!" Twilight scolded the big cat, who was covering his nose with his paws.
However, as the rest of the group got up off the ground, they saw that the lion began to cry instead of trying to attack again.
"What did you do that for? I didn't bite him" Lion cried.
"No, but you tried to," Twilight corrected him. "It's bad enough picking on a man filled with straw or a man made of tin, but trying to hurt a poor defenseless little puppy is even worse!"
"Well, you didn't have to hit me so hard. Is my nose bleeding?" the big cat asked, as he continued to weep uncontrollably.
"Of course not. My goodness, you're nothing but a great big coward" Twilight's anger was replaced by confusion.
The lion nodded and used his tail to dry his tears. "You're right, I am a coward. I don't have any courage at all. I even scare myself sometimes. Look at the circles under my eyes. I haven't slept in weeks."
"Did you try counting sheep?" Spike asked.
"That doesn't work, because I'm afraid of them" Lion shook his head shamefully.
"Twilight, don't you think the wizard could help him too?" Scarecrow asked.
"That's not a bad idea," Twilight smiled, as she turned back to the lion. "Why don't you come along with us? We're all going to see the wizard of Oz, to get Tinman a heart."
"And Scarecrow a brain" Tinman added.
"And help me and Twilight get back home to Equestria" Spike said.
"I'm sure he could give you some courage" Twilight spoke, making the lion look at them with hope in his eyes.
"Really? But wouldn't you be embarrassed to be seen around a cowardly lion? I certainly would" Lion wept again.
"No, of course we wouldn't" Twilight replied.
Spike tapped his paw on the road. "Well..."
"SPIKE!"
"I'm just kidding...mostly."
"Well, that's awfully nice of you," Lion replied, as he stopped crying. "My whole life has been simply unbearable. Even my own family disowned me at a very young age. One day, when was just a little cub, my father took me to the top of the mountain, waved his paw around and said: 'one day, son, this forest will be yours.' Oh, I was terrified!"
"Why were you terrified?" Scarecrow asked.
"I'm afraid of heights!" Lion answered.
"Big surprise" Spike muttered quietly.
Twilight took out a handkerchief and dried the tears off of the big cat's eyes. "Well, it's alright now. The wizard will be able to fix everything."
"At least you'll be safe if I go with you" Lion hung his head in shame once again.
"How's that?" Tinman asked.
"No self-respecting wild animal will come anywhere near me" Lion answered, as he walked to the center of the road and began to sing.
[Lion]
Said a lion
Poor, moronic lion
To a girl who listened to him rave
"Oh, the Lord made me a lion,
But the Lord forgot to make me brave
Then his tail began to curl and wave
Life is sad,
Believe me, missy
When you're born to be a sissy
Without the vim and verve
But I could show my prowess
Be a lion, not a mouse
If I only had the nerve
I'm afraid there's no denyin'
I'm just a dandelion
A fate I don't deserve
But I could change my habits
Nevermore be scared of rabbits
If I only had the nerve
Oh, I'd be in my stride
A king down to the core
I could roar the way I never roared before
And then I'd Grrrrr!
And roar some more
I would show the dinosaurus
Whose king around the forest
A king he'd better serve
I'd be brave as a blizzard
[Tinman]
I'd be gentle as a lizard
[Scarecrow]
I'd be clever as a gizzard
[Twilight Sparkle]
If the Wizard is a wizard
Who will serve...
[Scarecrow]
Then I'm sure to get a brain
[Tinman]
A heart
[Twilight Sparkle]
A home
[Lion]
The nerve
With that, the five new friends danced off down the yellow brick road to fulfil their destinies.
[All Five]
We're off to see the Wizard
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
We hear he is a whiz of a wiz
If ever a wiz there was
If ever, oh ever a wiz there was
The Wizard of Oz is one because
Because, because, because, because, because
Because of the wonderful things he does
We're off to see the Wizard
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Well, things are looking up for our heroes, but Chrysalis is still on the hunt for the ruby slippers. Find out what will happen in the next chapter. Catch ya later!
