The chibis sang for about an hour. Zelgadis swore his ears must have been bleeding.
"Now that that's settled," sighed Sylphiel, in a businesslike manner, "you will need some new footwear."
"Footwear?" Zel asked tentatively. He groaned inwardly as she pulled out ruby-encrusted flats from the plothole in her gown. "Uh, don't you have something more...more...travel-friendly?"
"Way ahead of ya." said a chibi Zangulus with a nasal, high-pitched voice, "try these." He pulled out a pair of deep red work boots.
Zel sighed with relief. "Thanks. You're a lifesaver."
"No prob." Chibi Zangulus winked and poofed out.
Zel pulled on the boots. "Now what?" he asked.
A bright grin spread slowly across her face, "Ohhhhhhhh! The next part. Yes. You need tooooooo..."
Follow the yellowbrick road! Follow the yellowbrick road! Follow follow follow follow follow the yellowbrick road! The chibis grabbed his arms and dragged him down the bright yellow path.
"Skip!" ordered a Filia chibi in a squeaky voice, "SKIP!"
"Alright alright!" Zelgadis reluctantly shuffled his feet to the beat of the song.
He said a silent yes! to himself as the chibis left him behind and he traveled the gaudy road alone.
"Finally I can be alone." he allowed himself a little smile at Lina fireballing the crooning chibis—maybe even Sylphiel too if she was in a bad mood. Zel looked up. He was at a fork in the road. There was no sign pointing to "Emerald City" so all he could do was hazard a guess.
"Need a hand?"
"Arghh! Who's there!" Zelgadis looked around frantically. Nobody there but a scarecrow. Wait, the scarecrow...
"I said, need a hand?" repeated the scarecrow, who looked uncannily like Gourry. The scare-Gourry flopped a straw-stuffed arm at Zel, but couldn't move much for the pole he was fastened to.
"Do you need a hand?" Zelgadis asked, motioning to the pole.
"Oh, this." Gourry sighed. "I have been hanging here for as long as I can remember. Which isn't all that long, now that you mention it," he added.
"I didn't mention it." Zel sweatdropped.
"Well, in answer to your question, yes I very much need some help."
Zelgadis untied him easily. Dusting himself off and grinning widely, Gourry said, "Thanks buddy! Say, are you off to see the wizard?"
"The wizard?"
"Yeah, the wizard! You know him?"
"Why yes. Actually, I'm off to see him now..." Zel clapped a hand over his mouth immediately.
Weeeeee're off to see the wizard...
"Fireball." Zel grumbled. "So why do you want to know?" he asked Gourry, who was on his knees searching for the source of the singing.
"Who me? Oh, I need to see him about a brain."
"A brain?" Zelgadis was sure he would have run out of sweatdrops at this point, but nonetheless, it appeared, plump and sweatdroppy, on the back of his head. "Do I even want to ask?"
"Well, the guy who made me stuffed me alright, nice good quality straw, too. But he forgot one thing."
"The brain?"
He tapped his temple. "Yep."
"Well, what did I expect?" Zel whispered to himself. Then aloud, "Well, come on then."
"Gee, thanks!" Gourry jumped for joy and grabbed Zel's arm, skipping down the street.
"Who says 'gee' anymore?" murmered Zelgadis under his breath.
"What was that?"
"Oh, I said, 'I can see...Mandy Moore.'" He cringed at his lame excuse.
"Ohmigod where? SHE IS SOOOO MY IDOL!" Gourry shrieked. Zel decided not to let anything bother him or sweatdrop-ify him anymore. Little did he know, the worst was yet to come.