Author Notes - So... in the book, the Good Witch of the North and Glinda are actually two separate characters. Glinda is supposed to be the Good Witch of the South, while the North Witch didn't get a name until later (which is either Locasta or Tattypoo depending on the version). The witch who sends Dorothy off and the witch who tells her how to get home were originally two different characters, hence that plothole.
Wouldn't have believed me my foot...
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - OONA SAVES THE DAY
Mr Grouper had disappeared. He was no longer in his photobooth, and not a trace of him or his questionable practises remained.
'I know I'm the one with the diploma here…' Deema said. 'BUT WHERE THE HECK DID HE GO?!'
Zooli growled. 'Oh, I'm well-versed enough in bad guy trickery to know what just happened. That humbug must've been really embarrassed that we figured out his secret, and he's running away before anyone in this city knows that he was just a phoney!'
Molly grumbled. 'That… that… THAT RAT!'
Gil huffed. 'I'll have you know some of my closest friends are rats.'
'Come on!' Goby yelled.
He rushed over to the nearest window, which was pretty far – as far as the entrance door almost. Mr Grumpfish was too speechless to ask any questions as Goby and the other Guppies approached the windows. He, too, had bore witness to Mr Grouper high tailing it out of the building and was staring out one of the windows at that very moment.
'Mr Grumpfish!' Goby called. 'The Wizard has left the building! Have you seen him?'
'Yep.' Mr Grumpfish responded, his voice free of anything but shock. 'I can see him right now. Right up there.'
The grumpy door guard pointed upwards, towards the great blue sky. Among the clear sky and the small number of clouds, one could easily see an orange hot air balloon drifting further and further away from the Emerald Sydney. If one looked closely enough, they could see Mr Grouper himself in the balloon's basket.
Deema crossed her arms. 'Huh. Looks like the wrong guy wanted courage. COS THAT WIZARD IS THE WORST COWARD I HAVE EVER SEEN!'
Molly frowned. 'Agreed. He's nothing like the Mr Grouper I know and love.'
'The who?'
Molly should have been crestfallen that her only way out had fled the building, and the city, and even the land, but she couldn't be. How could one be crestfallen when she was angry?
'His secret was found out,' She said. 'And instead of dealing with the consequences, he just LEFT!' She turned to Mr Grumpfish. 'Pleeease tell me that he's got a story that explains this behaviour. Please. He reminds me of someone at home, and I don't like associating the two.'
The grumpy fish shrugged. 'Not really. He just showed up one day by accident, and everyone thought he was a powerful Wizard. The power kind of got to his head, and he told me never to tell anyone the truth. And, well, now he's gone.'
Goby wiped his brow. 'Oh no… nonono! What do we tell the others? Their ruler has just run off on them!'
Zooli looked at the crowds of people through the window. Every one of those green-clad citizens was looking up and pointing at the balloon up above them. Gil and Bubble Puppy's sensitive animal ears could hear their chanting from the other side of the wall.
'They're looking right at that balloon.' Zooli said.
'And they're chanting for the Wizard.' Gil added. 'I-I think they know he's leaving them. And they seem pretty okay with it.'
'Well, that eliminates one problem.' Goby said. 'But how do we figure out who's gonna rule the city now?! I can't do it, because I'm already the mayor of Fishkin Land. Do you know how big Fishkin Land is? IT'S ONE QUARTER OF OUR ENTIRE LAND!'
Note about Bubbledom Geography: A lot like a certain other fictional land, it is divided into four countries. There's the blue land of the Fishkins in the East, which is the land that Goby rules now that the Witch of the East is dead. In the west is the yellow land of the Swimkies, the beings enslaved by the Witch of the West. Up north is the purple land of the Gillikins (the pun's already in their name, okay?), mostly protected by Oona. And down south is the red land of the Podlings, who seem to function well without a leader. In the centre is the Emerald Sydney, formally ruled by the Wizard and the royal family before him. In other words, Goby saying he rules a quarter of the Land of Bubbledom is quite accurate.
Molly whined quietly to herself. This was all a bit much for her to handle, in between the whole 'overthrowing THREE major rulers in the land' thing and seeing no way of getting home, she was about ready to fall onto the floor and cry. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Nonny already beat her to it. As if his rusty cheeks needed any more water.
'Fantastic.' Deema muttered. 'Fan-flipper-tastic. Now what?'
'You tell me!' Gil yelled. 'You're the one with the diploma!'
'Oh, now Molly will never get home…' Nonny said, still weeping a little.
While Molly and her companions were in no position to discuss ideas and Goby was too busy debating the fate of the Emerald Sydney, Zooli continued to stare out the window. Though the hot air balloon drifted further and further away from the city, something was approaching them from the sky instead.
'Uh, I don't mean to scare anyone,' She said. 'But there appears to be a pink bubble coming for us.'
'A pink bubble?!' Molly exclaimed.
The pink-haired Guppy dashed over to the window, and so did Goby. Indeed, there was a big pink bubble floating towards them, and both Guppies could recognise it any day.
'It's Oona, the Good Witch of the North!' Molly declared.
'Oh.' Zooli said. 'I've spent so much time in the west under the Mean Witch, I don't think I've ever seen the Good Witch before.'
Goby adjusted his green bowtie. 'Well, there's no better time than now!'
While most of them had calmed down at the sight of Oona herself arriving, none had relaxed more than Goby. Before, he worried about everything deviating from 'the plan', but the thought of the Good Witch showing up made it clear that everything was alright.
'We've done it…' He murmured. 'It's really happened.'
'Wait, what happened?' Zooli asked.
'We won't know until we go out there and greet Oona. Come on everyone!'
Well, what else could they do? Goby led them out the door - Mr Grumpfish included - and through the crowds of the excitedly confused citizens of the Emerald Sydney. They followed the bubble all the way to a great green stage in the middle of the city, where their bizarre ensemble stood out among all the citizens in green. It didn't take long for the pink bubble to float over to the stage, and when it arrived in front of the microphone, it popped to reveal none other than the Good Witch herself.
'Hello, my Emerald Sydney people!' Oona announced into the mic. 'Now, I'm sure you have a few questions regarding your Wizard and your city, and I-'
'Who's gonna run the city?'
'Why did the Wizard just up and leave?'
'What's going to become of the Swimkies now that their ruler is gone?!'
'Where do I get a crown like that?'
The crowd erupted into a sea of questions, and they only calmed down when Oona waved her wand for them to be quiet.
'Don't worry about the Wizard.' She said. 'His mysterious motives are beyond even my knowledge. As for your other, very important, questions, I have but one way of answering them. I must invite some people onto the stage.' She pointed her wand at the crowd. 'May Molly and her travelling companions please come up on stage with me?'
Molly and her companions - except for Goby - gasped at once. Perhaps they shouldn't have been so surprised, seeing as they were the ones who vanquished the Mean Witch of the West, but still. To be called on by Oona was quite the prestigious honour.
'Well?' Oona said. 'Come on, guys!'
They couldn't deny a request from the Good Witch - not because she'd do something about it, but because she was too nice to ignore, I swear - and made their way onto the stage. Molly and Bubble Puppy were the first ones to 'step' onto the platform, followed by Deema, then Nonny, Gil, and Goby. Zooli wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to do, so she followed them onto the stage too.
Despite the stress in the air, Molly managed to smile just a little. Once again, after everything she had gone through, she had been reunited with all her friends. Well, perhaps not her friends persay, but they reminded her so much of her Bubbletucky companions that it didn't matter. Sure, maybe their team consisted of a brainy scarecrow, a gentle tin guppy, a courageous lionfish, a freed slave, a green-clad door guard, and a freaking witch, but it was her team.
'Everyone of Emerald Sydney,' Oona spoke into the microphone. 'I present to you, Molly and her companions! This group you see before you were responsible for the death of not just the Witch of the East, but the Witch of the West too!'
The crowd exploded into cheers, not literally thank goodness, for their saviors. Molly and her friends could only smile and wave a little awkwardly, while trying to keep the real story a secret. The tale of 'she set Deema on fire, so we threw water at her, and then she gave chase, and then we turned her into a frog, followed by Gil eating her' was a bit too crazy of a story for them to retell.
'That's great and all.' A random lobster from the crowd said. 'But who's gonna rule the Emerald Sydney now that the Wizard has left us?!'
'Yeah!' A crab added. 'We can't function without a leader.'
'We're liable to riot!' A snail cried.
Oona giggled. 'Relax everyone! I have called Molly and her companions to the stage to do more than just honour them for their work. I already know whom I'm going to leave in charge of this glorious city. I cannot do it myself, for I have to protect the whole of Bubbledom while ruling my own land in the north. To rule a city such as this requires not just enough compassion to listen to and love the citizens, but we'll also need someone brainy enough to come up with brilliant ideas. So, with all the power invested in me, I announce that the new ruler of Emerald Sydney is… Deema, the brainy scarecrow!'
Everyone else gasped, but none more than Deema herself. The entire crowd looked to the scarecrow, who had no idea how to react to this news. Oona only made the situation even harder to comprehend by waving her wand about to materialise a crown in her hand, so she could place that mighty crown over Deema's hat and crazy hair.
'Wait, what?!' Deema - finally - exclaimed. 'I-I'm flattered that you think I can rule a city, but… why me?! I'm just a scarecrow with a diploma. I'm in no position to rule a city!'
Oona giggled again. 'I know it may seem like that, Deema. But I have seen your clever ideas, and unlike many other brainy rulers you still have compassion. I can assure you that you will rule the Emerald Sydney just fine, my clever little scarecrow. Or, should I say, Her Majesty the Scarecrow?'
While the other members of her team weren't so sure, they still announced their pride for Deema by clapping and cheering her on. Of course, since this is Deema we're talking about, the straw-filled Guppy soaked up every single bit of it. She bowed before her new subjects - perhaps a bad idea, since the crown nearly made her topple over off the stage - and puffed out her chest. In fact, she even reshuffled her straw a little bit to make her chest look a little bigger.
'Thank you, thank you!' She called to the citizens, blowing them kisses. 'I am honoured to be the fabulous ruler to an equally fabulous city!'
Molly chuckled to herself. That was quite possibly the most Deema-ish thing that scarecrow had done this whole journey, which was saying something, and she could easily see the Bubbletucky counterpart acting the exact same way if she was ever made queen for real. Which, honestly, Molly kinda hoped wouldn't happen. Perhaps Scarecrow Deema was good ruler material, but Normal Deema really wasn't.
'Now,' Oona continued. 'We arrive at the problem with the west. The eastern country of the Fishkins will continue to be led by Goby, who can now lead in peace, but this leaves the west without the leader that it desperately needs. After being slaves to the Mean Witch of the West for so long, many of them are lost and confused, no longer able to properly think for themselves. These poor Swimkies need the most compassionate and gentle leader in Bubbledom to guide them back to normality. And I can think of no one more loving and kind than… Nonny the Tin Guppy!'
Now, much to Her Majesty Deema's chagrin, all attention fell onto the Tin Guppy instead of her. The somewhat shy boy went stiffer than usual at the sight of all those eyes on him. Still, he waved to them to the best of his ability, but he couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed thanks to those rusty tear marks on his cheeks.
'W-Why me?' He asked. 'Am I really that kind and compassionate?'
Oona nodded. 'More than anyone else I know, and that includes me. You are the sweetest person I know, and you hold the nicest soul ever known to Bubbledom behind that hard tin exterior. Your inexpressive face may make others think that you don't have feelings, but your heart is where your strength lies.' She giggled. 'And, well, you've always been the cute one to me.'
Somehow, despite his skin being made of tin and lacking any sort of blood, his cheeks turned pink. Thank goodness he didn't have a real heart, or it would be beating out of his chest. His ticker, however, did seem to speed up a little bit. Molly chuckled to herself; she always did see Oona and Nonny as the cutest little pair, and apparently that extended to their Bubbledom counterparts too.
'W-Well, in that case,' Nonny said, looking a little more proud. 'I'll be the sweetest, most compassionate leader that the Swimkies will ever know. I will make sure that everyone who lives in the west will live as happily as can be.'
'I know you will be a wonderful ruler!' Oona said. 'Oh, and here's an extra little gift for you.'
She waved her wand about again, but instead of a crown forming in her hand it was a can of oil. It was unlike any oil can he had ever seen. It was coated with gold, and lined with various gems of many colours. If one looked closely at the shapes above the yellow gem strip, one could make out beings that highly resembled Nonny and his new friends. And that included Bubble Puppy. Oona handed it to him, and he took it without question.
'I know how easy it is for you to rust.' Oona said. 'And the last thing we want is for you to be stuck still as a statue for years again. This is a special, enchanted can of oil. It will never run out no matter how much of it you use. It shines bright in the dark so you'll never lose it. And, of course, your Swimkies friends will always be there to polish your tin skin so you'll never be stuck for years again.'
Nonny was so moved by this gift and his new kingdom that - surprise surprise - he ended up crying tears of joy. Luckily for him, that oil was quite powerful, so when he applied it to the rust on his cheeks it removed the rust completely, leaving nothing but beautiful shiny tin behind.
'What about me?' Gil asked, waving his paws about. 'I-I mean, this medal is awesome! But it seems a bit unfair if these guys get to rule their own lands while I'm just… a lion.'
Oona nodded. 'Indeed, Gil. You deserve something just as much as your friends do. You have been known as the King of Beasts for years, and are supposed to be the King of the Forest before your fellow lions kicked you out for your so-called cowardice.'
Gil gulped. 'Y-Yep. But they won't think I'm such a coward anymore, thanks to this shining medal of mine!'
'Exactly. Though we are now rid of the two greatest evils in the land, there is still trouble out there in Bubbledom, and the poor animals in the forests have little to protect them against those evils. So, they'll need a brave and courageous king to protect them and prepare them to defend themselves whenever the situation gets dire.'
She turned around and faced the crowd, seeing as they were still here and this was an announcement for them as much as it was for Molly and her companions.
'Only someone as courageous as courageous could possibly be could be awarded such a medal. So, giving him the credit his own pride refused to give him, I elect Gil the Courageous Lionfish to be the one who shall rule the forests!'
Gil bowed before the crowd, soaking up the attention almost as much as Deema did. His regal blue mane fluttered a little in the wind, and the sun shone upon his glorious medal and made it glow like the moon. He exuded so much confidence that no one would be able to tell that he used to be called the 'Cowardly Lionfish'.
While all of this was going on, Zooli was nervously rubbing her hands together. She was yet to change out of her guard uniform, and as a former Swimkie slave she wasn't quite certain what she could say. No one seemed to have any problems with her being a former minion of the Mean Witch of the West, but it still made her uncomfortable knowing that was her past.
'I'm forgetting someone important here.' Oona continued. 'And I'm not talking about Molly.'
She pointed her wand to Zooli, which made the former guard flinch.
'Zooli here used to be a guard for the Mean Witch of the West, which I think we can all tell from her outfit. She, however, was a major player in rescuing Molly and thus the death of that Mean Witch, so I believe she deserves something just as much as everyone else does. It may take her a little while to get used to working in a free society again, but I see no better job for her than as the Royal Guard of Emerald Sydney! That is, of course, if Her Majesty the Scarecrow is okay with it.'
Deema nodded, nearly falling over from the weight of the crown. 'Why wouldn't I be? I bet that if Zooli didn't help us through the castle, we would've never saved Molly and I would've been stuffed into a mattress by now. Or, even worse, reduced to a pile of ashes! So, as the Queen of the Emerald Sydney, I will hire Zooli to be my personal throne room guard!'
Zooli gasped. Even if it would've been totally unfair to cast her aside just for her past full of regrets, it still surprised her that Her Majesty the Scarecrow was so okay with bringing her into the city. She smiled, which before was so rare in Swimkie Country, and bowed before her queen.
'I promise, Your Majesty,' She said. 'That I will be the most diligent guard the Emerald Sydney has ever seen. I have a past full of evil I have to make up for.'
Deema chuckled. 'Okay, cut out the bowing nonsense. I don't wanna be one of those rulers who becomes an awful person to their friends just because the power got to their heads. And if I ever do that, I give you full permission to set me on f-fire. I'm gonna keep treating you like a friend, okay?'
Zooli cut out the 'bowing nonsense' immediately. 'That would be great! My fellow guards and I have gone through a lot at the hands of that Witch.'
'That's what I like to hear! I may be Queen of Emerald Sydney, and arguably one of the most powerful rulers in all of Bubbledom because of that, but that doesn't mean I'll be a jerk to the ones I love. I may not have asked for a heart like Nonny did, but it would still be pretty heartless to do that. And kinda brainless too, now that I think about it.'
The crowd kept cheering for the lot of them, and Molly was a part of it too. They were her friends, after all, and she saw no reason not to be proud of them. She could only hope that her friends back in Bubbletucky could go on to be this successful, whether she helped them or not. In the back of mind, of course, she still had that question bugging her - could she ever go home? While everyone, including her friends, were cheering and celebrating, she approached Oona with the question waiting in her throat to be asked.
'Miss Oona, Good Witch of the North,' She said, catching the Witch's attention. 'I have a question of my own to ask.'
Oona giggled. 'Why, I think I already know what that is. You want to go back home to Bubbletucky, don't you? Well, you're in luck. You've had a way to go home this whole time!'
'Wait, WHAT?!'
Author Notes - If you're wondering why Nonny the Tin Guppy is going to be the new ruler of the Swimkies, it's a reference to the book. The Tin Woodman is the one appointed to rule over the Winkies and get them back on track after they had been enslaved for so long, a role given to him thanks to his sweet attitude and endless compassion.
