Juvia got up from her bed and went to open the door to her house. On the other side was not the dreary farm she had grown up on, instead it was a land filled with bright colors and light. There were lovely patches of greensward all about, with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits. Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes. A little way off was a small brook, rushing and sparkling along between green banks, and murmuring in a voice very grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the dry, gray prairies.
Juvia herself had also changed. True she had been a very beautiful girl before but now in this new atmosphere she had become much more lovely. Her blue hair now shimmered in the light, her cheeks were much more rosy, and her fair skin had become most radiant. She stepped out from her house and began to explore her new surroundings. She now stood in what appeared to be the square of a town. A very little town, with little houses, little shops, a little church, a little school house, even a little office for public officials. Juvia couldn't imagine a town being so small.
"Frosch I have a feeling we're not in Magnolia anymore." She told her cat.
She saw a bubble floating down from the sky and toward her. When it landed it began to change and it took the form of a very beautiful young woman. Her hair was a rich red in color and it was long enough to cover her back. Her dress was also red with bits of white around the edges, on her head she wore a small silver crown, and in her head she held a wand. She looked kindly upon Juvia and then asked in a gentle voice.
"Are you a good witch or a bad witch?"
"Who me?" Juvia asked. "Oh no. I'm not a witch at all. I'm Juvia Lockser from Magnolia."
"Oh then I'm a little confused because I was just informed that a new witch has just dropped a house on Seilah the wicked witch of the East, there's the house, and here you are, and that's all that's left of Seilah."
She pointed her wand over to the dead feet sticking out from under the house.
"Oh my goodness!" Juvia gasped in horror. "I...I'm so terribly sorry! I didn't mean to! I...I...I-"
"Oh don't be too upset about it dear, she was a wicked woman who enslaved the munchkins and made them work day after day. However you managed to put an end to her and now the munchkins want to know if you're a good witch or a bad witch."
"But I already told you I'm not a witch at all. Witches are old and ugly."
She heard giggling.
"What was that?"
"The munchkins. They're laughing because I am a witch. I'm Erza the good witch of the North."
"You are?" Juvia was at a loss for words. As a child she had always been told that witches were horrible, ugly old women. Never once did she think that they could be young and beautiful. At once she realized that she had just been very rude and insulting toward Erza. She grabbed skirt of her blue dress and curtsied politely. "I beg your pardon but I've never heard of a beautiful witch before."
"Only bad witches are ugly." Erza giggled. "And since you're such a pretty young girl, I guess it's safe to assume that you're a good witch?"
"But again I'm not a witch. I'm just a little girl."
She heard the giggling again.
"Was that the munchkins again?" Juvia asked.
"Yes. They think it's funny that you called yourself a little girl."
"Why is that?"
"Because compared to them you are quite big."
"If you please what are munchkins?"
"They are the little people who live in this land and you are their national heroine my dear. It's alright now, you may come out and thank her."
Juvia noticed coming toward her a group of the strangest people she had ever seen. They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been used to; For one thing they were no taller than regular children and they were all oddly dressed. The men wore round hats that rose to a small point a foot above their heads, with little bells around the brims that tinkled sweetly as they moved. The hats of the men were blue; the women's hats were white, and they wore little gowns that hung in pleats from their shoulders. Over it were sprinkled little stars that glistened in the sun like diamonds. The men were dressed in blue, of the same shade as their hats, and wore well-polished boots with a deep roll of blue at the tops. They all looked at Juvia and Frosch curiously, then they smiled and started cheering.
"Ding-dong the witch is dead!" They cheered.
"You are welcome, most noble and beautiful Sorceress, to the land of the Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from bondage." A little man said to Juvia.
"Words cannot describe how grateful we are to you for saving us." A little woman presented a bouquet of flowers to her.
"Thank you." Juvia said accepting them. "But I didn't do anything, really."
Nevertheless the munchkins still praised her and held a celebration in her honor. They laughed and cheered and sang and danced, Juvia had never seen a display so adorable in her entire life. But suddenly the happy moment was interrupted by smoke and fire rising up from the ground in the town square. The munchkins screamed and all ran to hide. Juvia quickly picked up Frosch and held him close. When the fire and smoke cleared there stood the ugliest and most terrifying woman Juvia had ever seen. Her hair was green and her sickly skin had scales, she possessed talons, pointy teeth, and eyes that could make your heart stop with fear if you looked into them.
"I...I thought you said she was dead." Juvia trembled.
"That was her sister Seilah the wicked witch of the East, this is Kyoka the wicked witch of the West." Erza put her arm protectively around Juvia's shoulders and held up her wand defensively. "She's worse than the other one."
The witch called Kyoka looked at the corpse lying underneath the house then turned toward them with anger in her eyes.
"Who killed my sister?!" She hissed at Juvia. "Who killed the witch of the East?! Was it you?!"
"No! No it was an accident. I didn't mean to kill anyone."
"Well my little pretty I can cause accidents too!"
"Leave her be Kyoka." Erza said. "What has happened to your sister, she has brought upon herself. As I always say what goes around comes around."
"You had something to do with this didn't you Erza?!"
"Me? Oh come now Kyoka you know very well that we witches are forbidden to use magic on each other. We all took the oath and if we broke that oath it would mean instant destruction and as you can see I'm still here so I couldn't have had anything to do with this."
"But I know you Erza. You always find someway to slip through the cracks."
"That may be true but not this time, by the way old friend aren't you forgetting something?"
"What?!"
"The ruby slippers, Seilah's most powerful and prized possession."
"The slippers! Yes!"
The anger in her eyes quickly turned to delight as she made her way toward the dead feet but then she jumped back in anger.
"They're gone! What have you done with them?! Give them back or I'll-"
"It's too late. They've chosen a new owner."
Erza pointed her wand toward Juvia's feet. Juvia looked down and saw that her old shoes had now been replaced by a pair of beautiful, ruby, red slippers.
"How did those get on my feet?" She asked in confusion.
"Give me back my slippers!" Kyoka demanded. "They were my sister's but now that she's dead they rightfully belong to me!"
"They were never truly your sister's to begin with." Erza said. "They rightfully belonged to the good witch of the South but your sister killed her and stole her slippers and they most certainly do not belong to you if they did then they would have attached themselves to your feet right away."
"They're of no use to you!" Kyoka told Juvia. "Give them back."
"If you value your life you won't give them to her." Erza told her.
"You stay out of this Erza! Or I'll fix you as well!"
"Oh rubbish! You have no power here! Begone before somebody drops a house on you too!"
Kyoka looked toward the sky nervously.
"Very well, I'll be on my way but only because I can't stand listening to your mouth for another moment Erza!" She then turned to Juvia. "And as for you young lady, if you know what's good for you you'll try to stay out of my way! Just try! I'll get you my pretty and your little kitty too!"
After letting out a horrible laugh she vanished in smoke and fire.
"Are you okay?" Erza asked Juvia.
"I've never seen anyone so frightening in my entire life." Juvia said still trembling a little. "Why did you give me these slippers?"
"I didn't give them to you, they chose you."
"Chose me? But why?"
"I wish I could say but I can't. I do know this however those slippers were made to only be worn by someone truly good hearted and powerful."
"But I don't have any powers."
"You must have some otherwise the slippers wouldn't have picked you. You have been given a great gift but I'm afraid you've now become an unwanted nusiance in Kyoka's life. The sooner you get out of Edolas, the safer you'll sleep my dear."
"Oh you don't have to tell me twice. I have to get back to Magnolia but I don't know how. Can you help me?"
"I don't think there's much I can do but perhaps the great wizard of Edolas can help you."
"Who's he?"
"The ruler of Edolas."
"Is he good or wicked?"
"Oh he's very good but very mysterious and he's not exactly what you'd expect."
"Have you met him?"
"I haven't just met him, I know him quite well." She smiled while blushing.
"Would he help me?"
"Yes he most certainly would."
"Where can I find him?"
"At the Emerald City."
"Where's that?"
"Well it's very simple to find, all you have to do is follow the yellow brick road and it will take you straight to the Emerald City."
"But what about that witch? Will she come after me?"
"Knowing Kyoka she won't give up easily but worry not you should be safe from her as long as you wear the ruby slippers so never let them off your feet or you will be at her mercy."
"Can you come with me?"
"I wish I could but I must return to watching over the North, the South, and now the East and protect the people of those three lands from possibly being enslaved by Kyoka. However I will give you this for luck."
She came close to Juvia and kissed her gently on the forehead.
"No one will harm a person who has been kissed by the witch of the North and when you reach the Emerald City show them the kiss on your forehead so they will know I sent you. Good luck Juvia and don't worry if you ever really need me I'll help however I can."
With that said she transformed back into a bubble which floated away.