The sun was blinding when they stepped out of the trees. Arms stilled linked Christina and company smiled, cheering.
"How much longer?" Shaggy asked.
"I was told the city was in the very center of the country. All we can do is go forward,"
Calm silence fell over the group. Each lost to their own daydreams. Hoodude was trying to picture how smart he would be while Robecca thought of all the wonderful things she could feel with a heart. Shaggy and Christina, however, were picturing something much different. Recalling the dance they'd shared. How nice it had been.
Their quiet contentment was disturbed by the sudden sound of rushing water. Confused, they followed the bend in the road to find a river cutting through their path with the road resuming on the other side.
"We need a raft," Robecca said, knowingly.
"Christina, can you-"
"No, Hoodude, I can't,"
Scooby looked from Shaggy to Christina and back again, watching the concern sweep across their faces.
"Cut...down...trees"
His voice was foreign to him but Shaggy knew it instantly.
"You can talk?" Christina startled, staring owl-eyed at the Great Dane puppy.
"All the animals in Oz can, except, Scooby hasn't spoken since he was a few days old," Shaggy explained, another shadow crossing his face.
"That's a good idea, Scooby, thank you," Christina patted the pup in thanks.
"But we don't have anything to chop the trees with," Hoodude pointed out, suddenly.
Christina dropped to the grass annoyed with her lack of observation, "Well we can't just-just-" she was so exasperated, her hands flew up while she fumbled for words.
"Christina look," Shaggy tapped her shoulder.
Following his gaze, she spotted the raft a few feet away. Her gaze hit her hands which were beginning to tremble. Faster and faster as she scrambled to her feet. She shoved her hand in her apron pockets and clomped her way to the raft, cheeks flushed with anger tinged embarrassment. The others followed behind her. Jade pawed at her leg, wanting into the basket. She didn't like water. Christina put both pups safely inside as Hoodude and Robecca took to the steering poles while Shaggy pushed the raft into the water before clambering aboard.
He moved to where Christina sat with the basket on her lap. Her hands were still shoved into the pocket, stacked oddly. Shaggy moved his hand to her arm, waiting a moment before slowly pulling her hands out.
"No...Shaggy...no" Christina mumbled.
He didn't listen, he continued to hold her hands as if they didn't hold a danger. Danger lurking in her palms and flowing through her veins.
"You're okay, I promise," He whispered.
The raft was fine until they caught the current.
"We've got to stop!"
Hoodude shoved his pole so far deep in the mud that it got stuck. The raft moved on before he thought to let go, watching helplessly as his friends were carried farther and farther downstream.
"Goodbye," he called weakly.
The raft was moving too quickly for Christina to stand and she was too scared to fly.
"We have to stop it," Robecca declared as she tried to steer toward the bank, "Or we'll end up in the west,"
Christina shuddered at the thought.
"I'll pull us ashore, all I need is a rope," Shaggy declared.
"Where are we going to get-"
"Will this work?" Robecca asked picking up a coil of rope that Christina swore wasn't there before.
Magic. She flinched.
"Perfect,"
"What are you..."
Shaggy tied the rope into a harness and slid it over himself before shifting and jumping into the water. Christina yelped with surprise. What was he thinking? even though he could've drowned, Shaggy was miraculously able to pull them to the bank safely.
"Don't do that again," she scolded him, "You could have drowned!"
"It was like, worth it," he insisted.
"I don't want to interrupt but Hoodude is still stuck in the river and we've lost the yellow brick road,"
"You're right Robecca, let's follow the river and we'll find them both,"
Shaggy's stomach grumbled.
"Can we like, find lunch too?"
"Of course we can,"
…...
"Look!" Robecca cried, "There he is"
Hoodude was still clinging to his pole in the middle of the rushing river.
"Christina-"
"No," she shook her head, "My wings still ache from yesterday,"
"Like, what do we do then?"
"We think," Christina dropped to the grass.
"Does this thinking involve lunch?"
Christina flicked Shaggy on the nose.
"OW!"
"Our friend is stuck in the middle of the river," Christina scolded.
"But I'll waste away to nothing," Shaggy grabbed her hands pleadingly.
"Jade," Christina looked to the wolf tumbling around with Scooby, "Hunt,"
Both pups took off, eager to please. While they were gone the others stared helplessly at their friend who was somberly thinking back to his long and lonesome days in the cornfield. As they were pondering what could be done two bats flew by only to circle back around, intrigued by the mismatched group. Landing before them the bats turned into vampires.
"What's the matter?" asked the pink vampire.
"Where are you headed?" questioned the purple one.
"We're supposed to be headed to the Emerald City to see the wizard," Christina explained, "But our friend got stuck as we were crossing the river,"
"And we've lost the yellow brick road," Shaggy added.
"Well, if your friend wasn't heavy my sister and I could carry him across,"
"Oh, but he isn't heavy at all!" Robecca cried excitedly, "He's stuffed with straw and light as a feather!"
"I would have gotten him myself but I'm not really used to flying and my wings are so sore I feel I could drop from the sky if I tried,"
"Don't worry, Sibella and I will rescue your friend,"
In less time than it took them to say thank you, Hoodude was on the bank beside them
"As for the Yellow brick road," Sibella said, "It's that way," she pointed the way they'd been headed.
"Thank you,"
"You're welcome,"
"Good luck,"
…...
"Ah," Regina laughed with wicked delight, "They're approaching the poppy field,"
"So?" Drew questioned flatly, "You said we can't touch her,"
"Ah but, there are ways around everything, Drew, you'll see,"
…...
"Look at all the flowers," Christina squealed in childish delight, "I've never seen so many before,"
"They are pretty," Shaggy agreed.
Clusters of flowers in all colors and sizes dotted their path and Christina couldn't resist stopping to see them. slowly, however, as they found the road the other flowers were replaced by bright red ones Christina couldn't identify.
"Christina!" Shaggy clutched her arm excitedly, "Look!"
Right across the flower field before them stood the emerald city gleaming tall and proud against the sky.
"Let's run!" they decided collectively.
Even Hoodude who admittedly wasn't the best at walking managed to joyfully stumble his way across the field. As they came to the top of the first large hill, however, it was becoming apparent that something was wrong with Christina and Shaggy who, still hand in hand, had started to fall behind.
"Come on," Robecca encouraged.
"Hurry Hurry!" added Hoodude.
"I've-I just have-have to rest for a minute," Christina objected, slowing to a stop beside Shaggy.
"We'll pull you along,"
"No, no, it's okay,"
Shaggy fell backward with sleep, crashing beside the already sleeping pups while Christina sank beside him with a contented sigh.
The others watched helplessly as Shaggy with the last of his strength pulled Christina to his chest.
"My...mate..." he trailed off, blissfully.
"What do we do now?" Hoodude shouted.
"This is a spell," Robecca declared, "Regina,"
…...
"See vhat I mean?" Regina smirked at Drew, "Now, ve vait until she is truly, deeply asleep then the monkey's vill retrieve her and your godmother can do her vork,"
But, Drew had stopped listening. Noticing this, Regina slapped her son who grabbed her arm and pointed frantically at the crystal ball.
…...
"I can't move either of them," Robecca grunted, "Not one inch,"
"What do we do?"
"HELP HELP. HELLLLPPP"
"That will never work," Hoodude argued, "No one can hear you,"
Someone did hear them. someone who was as good as Regina was evil. Someone who had been watching over Christina for years.
"Embers?" Hoodude squeaked.
"Well, it's not snow," Robecca said.
"It's not burning me?"
"Or me?"
"Look at the flowers,"
The bright red flowers were blanketed with embers which snuffed and turned to ashes which cut the poison of the poppies.
"It's not working!"
"No, it is, Hoodude, it is! See?"
Ever so slowly Shaggy began to wake before Christina. In his sleepy state, he began to stroke Christina's hair. Judging by the growing smile on the hybrid's face this was waking her and she was happy.
"What happened?" Christina mumbled, eyes cracking open.
With his arm still around Christina, Shaggy smiled.
"Is he okay?" Hoodude whispered.
"He's imprinted on her," Robecca said.
"Huh?"
"I'll explain later," she pulled Shaggy and Christina to their feet, "Shall we run?"
"Yes,"
Christina yelped as Shaggy scooped her up, carrying her all the way there.
"Shaggy, please put me down-where are the pups,"
"Right here," Hoodude lifted the basket.
Shaggy sat Christina on her feet before ringing the doorbell. The door swung open, a werewolf with her hands clamped over her ears poked her head out.
"Who rang that bell?" she demanded.
"Like, I did," Shaggy squeaked intimidated.
"Can't you read?"
"Read what?"
"The notice!"
"What notice?"
"It's on the door plain as the nose on my face er, um," she seemed to finally realize there was no such notice and quickly hung it from the door handle before shutting the door again.
"Bell out of order, please knock," they read.
With a shrug, Shaggy knocked.
"Well, that's more like it," the werewolf smiled, opening the doors, "State your business,"
"We wanna see the wizard!" the travelers chorused.
The werewolf flinched, "The wizard?" she gasped, "But no one's seen the great Oz, no one ever sees the great oz, even I've never seen him"
"Then," Christina began slowly, "How do you know there is one?"
"Uh, well, I oh, you're wasting my time,"
"Please miss," Christina begged, "I have to see the Wizard, the good witch of the north sent me!"
Something changed in the werewolf's face, "Prove it,"
"She's wearing the silver shoes, she gave her," Robecca pointed out.
Even though the shoes were in a different form anyone in Oz could recognize them.
"Well-well this changes things, I'll tell the wizard,"
She shut the doors only to breathlessly open them minutes later.
"The wizard insists you come inside and stay in the palace as his honored guests," turning from them she cried, "MELINDA!"
"Right here, Clawdeen," said a green-girl as she dropped from her hiding place, "No need to shout,"
"The wizard requested you take care of her," Clawdeen indicated Christina with her thumb, "And that Tina care for her," she pointed to Robecca next.
"Ah," Melinda nodded knowingly, "What about them?" she pointed to Shaggy and Hoodude.
"Sarah," Clawdeen gestured to Hoodude, "And he is to stay with her," she smiled her own secret knowing smile looking between Shaggy and Christina.
…...
"Do you like it?" Melinda asked hopefully.
Christina stood in the center of the room she'd been given, or rather, rooms. Varying shades of green with huge windows that opened to a balcony with a small garden space. Behind her was a huge four-poster bed the soft covers and clean sheets already turned down for her. There was also an empty vanity table with a mirror and the closet was full of the most beautiful dresses Christina had ever seen.
"It's beautiful," she said, unsure of what else there was to say.
"I should hope so," Melinda smiled, "I was in charge of keeping this room presentable,"
"But where did those come from?" Christina wondered, tilting her head to the closet.
"Let's go to the sitting room and I'll tell you the story,"
Upon entering, they found Shaggy asleep, Scooby on his chest, and Jade at his feet. So, they moved to the far corner of the room and spoke in hushed tones to avoid waking them.
"Long, long ago before the time of the wizard, Oz was ruled by a Queen. She was said to be good and a friend to everyone who knew her. She built the city to keep her people safe from Revolta. With a wall so thick and spelled with powerful magic that no wicked thing could ever get through. Sadly, it didn't protect from evil already inside the walls-"
"The West Witch," Christina guessed.
"Yes, she killed the queen and her husband, before casting a spell so no one would ever remember,"
"Then how-"
"I know because my mother told me, the spell wasn't as strong as Regina hoped but Oz's queen is nothing but a children's tale now. When Regina found out my mother knew the truth and planned to tell, she drove her to madness and pushed her from a cliff. Then she cursed me. It's why I'm well, you see. I came here and got a job at the palace. My sole task to keep this room in shape,"
"So this room and those dresses belonged to-"
"The Queen,"
"Then why give this room to me?"
Melinda shrugged, a cryptic smile on her face, "The Wizard insisted but if you ask anyone else they'll say your metal friend-"
"Robecca,"
"Robecca has the place of honor. Her room is but a short walk from the Wizard's throne room,"
"Oh," Christina nodded in understanding, her eyes drifted to her hands, finding sparks fluttering from her fingers.
Melinda looked at Christina's hands, "I can teach you if you like,"
"Teach me how to use..."
"I was a good witch in training once upon a time and I'm pyrokinetic. Just like you,"
Fire danced in her palms.
"I'm-I'm scared," Christina squeaked.
"We'll start there, then" Melinda smiled, "But, first, you should get a bath and have a nap. It'll be easier to train,"
"Thank you, Melinda,"
"You're welcome..."
"Christina,"