Whoa, sorry for the long wait guys! But it's been pretty busy around here, since Wherever Girl and I have been trying to get on the laptop, which hasn't been easy since we both get home late in the afternoons, and have to fight to the death for it. …I only won because she's having writer's block at the moment. :P So, lets get this chapter rolling, before she gains inspiration and challenges me to a Mortal Kombat match!

This is a parody of the Wizard of Oz (like I'm the first one to do this), but it'll have a lot of originality in some parts. Hope you all enjoy!

d~b

~Episode 10~

*The Wizard of Odd*

It was an average day at Trueblood Plaza-

Wait, hold it. We're opening this episode with the location of Trueblood Plaza, not Paradise Towers? …Meh, ah well.

I would say it was an average day at the apartment complex… but considering we've never gotten a view of it on a day-to-day basis, I have no idea what an 'average' day around the place is.

But it was a bad day for Holly Trueblood, that much we see, as she's running down the hall to her apartment, which she shares with her guardian, Melody. Tears are in her eyes as she runs through the door. "Holly! Oh my gosh, what's wrong?" Melody gasps, having been reading a magazine at the time.

"It's Katrina again," Holly sniffled. "She just made a rule that forbids pets inside the building. I tried to tell her that she has no right to make such a rule, since several of the residents own pets, including a blind man who needs his seeing eye-dog, and how the building rightfully belongs to me. …She then said that I can't own it until I'm 18, and that if I don't keep my nose out of her business, she'll restrict access to kids, too!" she hung her head low. "She's just doing it because she saw me playing with that stray Pomeranian yesterday, and doesn't want me to bring it home, I bet."

Melody patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry, about her, Holly. She's just-"

*Bam! Bam! Bam!*

There came a pounding at the door, and Melody answered it, seeing Brattina standing there. "Move aside, blondie, I'm coming in!" she said, shoving her way past Melody and into the apartment, a clipboard in her hand.

"What are you doing here, Brattina?" Holly demanded.

She smirked. "Mom gave me the job of being a building inspector, to make sure none of our residents are keeping animals around here,"

"Hey, would that rule apply to residents who ARE animals?" Melody questioned. "Like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, on the third floor?"

Brattina ignored her, looking around the apartment. "What's this?" she picked up a hair off the floor. "Aha! A cat hair! You wouldn't happen to be hiding a cat in here, would you?"

Holly began to fume. "No, but I know that YOU do- what are you guys going to do with that rule, if it forbids you to keep Catgut around, hmm?"

Brattina sneered. Catgut was Katrina's pet cat, who slept under her desk these days. "I don't care about that mangy furball- I'm just here to make sure YOU aren't sneaking in animals!"

"I think that hair is from Sebastian, Alexandra's cat. She's a good friend of mine and came by for a visit last weekend, bringing him with." Melody said, then took out a picture of Alexandra (who's hair now came down to her shoulders) holding Sebastian (who had gained a little weight). "See? Isn't he cute? He's gotten a little fat since the last time I've seen him-"

"Ugh, I don't care! If we find out you've been keeping an animal in here, it means that Melody will be banned from the apartment… taking you with her!" she then smirked. "Meaning that you won't get to own it when you're 18, so better watch it, Holly!" She then left.

Holly was red in the face with anger. "That… that… snot! I knew she would try to do something to try and kick me out, or make me miserable!" she exclaimed, tears returning to her eyes.

Melody hugged her tight. "It'll be okay, Holly." She said, trying to figure out a way to cheer Holly up. "Hey, lets go visit Shaggy, Pugsy, and Flip! That'll get our minds off things,"

Holly gave a small smile- secretly, she had a crush on Flip, and hanging out with him would really brighten her day. "Okay, lets go,"

They walked out of the building, ignoring Katrina who sat at her desk, chuckling to herself. Outside, Holly saw a small gray Pomeranian with white paws and a white spot on its chest. It ran up to her, barking a little bit, until she smiled and stroked it. The Pomeranian then saw someone riding by on a bike and took off chasing them. "Oh, come back!"

"Is that the little dog you told me about?" Melody asked.

"Yeah… I really want to bring him home. I miss having a dog around,"

Melody nodded in understanding, considering Holly had grown up around dogs in a pound, having been good friends with them all. But in the last three years they had all been adopted, Katrina selling the pound, having given up in tearing it down once she heard about their grandfather's will involving ownership to the apartment complex, and moving her daughter and ex-stepdaughter to the new city… then disowning Holly in order to get full ownership, not knowing that if Holly's guardian lived in Trueblood Plaza, she could still gain ownership once she was 18. Melody had taken Holly in, got ownership, sabotaging Katrina's first attempt in claiming permanent rights to the building.

…Everyone got that?

Anyway, they made their way over to Paradise Towers, where they saw Shaggy, Pugsy, and Flip standing in the backyard with Uncle Ted, helping him build what appeared to be a small playhouse.

"Thanks for helping me out, guys. I wouldn't be able to do this by myself, and have it done before tomorrow." Uncle Ted was saying.

"Exactly, why did you order a playhouse, again?" Pugsy asked, working on securing some bolts on the inside.

"Because my youngest nephews, Jake and Al, are going to be visiting with the family tomorrow. I figured having a playhouse around would give them something to do, since they're only 3 and too young for videogames,"

"That's sweet of you," Melody commented as they came up.

"Holly!" Flip exclaimed, dropping the toolbox he was holding… which landed on Pugsy's foot.

"OW!" Pugsy climbed out of the playhouse, rubbing his throbbing foot. "Watch it, Flip!"

"Sorry!"

"Like, what brings you two over?" Shaggy asked Melody.

"We had to get out of the apartment for a little bit. Katrina's been a real witch lately!" Melody answered.

"What did she do now?" Flip asked, concerned and defensive on Holly's part.

"She made a rule that excludes pets from the building… just so I can't bring a little dog home," Holly said with a sigh. "And I can't do anything about it until I'm 18."

"Sheesh, what a snob. Why not just tell her off? She's going to have real trouble on her hands with that attitude," Pugsy sneered. "If I had to live in that building, I'd get on her case about it until she cut out her crazified schemes,"

"As heartless as you can get, you'd probably punch her lights out!" Shaggy joked.

"You know Pugsy doesn't hit women," Holly scolded.

"Since when does Katrina pass as a woman?" Flip joked.

Pugsy glared at Shaggy. "At least I have the guts to stand up to her. You'd be too a-shakened up to look her in the face!" he retorted to Shaggy.

"Anyone who could would be the bravest man alive," Melody said with a giggle.

"Hey! I'm not THAT much of a coward!" Shaggy snapped, opening up the toolbox.

"HELLO!" Zippy exclaimed, popping out from inside the tool-box!

"ZOINKS!" Shaggy immediately leaped into Pugsy's arms in shock.

Pugsy gave him a deadpanned look. "You were saying?" he scoffed, then dropped Shaggy. "Zippy, what the jumping ignorpotomases are you doing in the tool-box?!"

"Do you really want to know?" Zippy asked.

Pugsy thought about it, then shook his head. "Not really, no."

"That's what I thought," Zippy then climbed out of the tool-box, walking off. Pugsy sighed then took the toolbox, going to the other side of the playhouse.

"There's only one way to handle Katrina, Holly, and that's with your own wit," Flip said to his crush, getting back on-subject. "You have to outsmart her, and turn the tables on her."

"Like you would know how, Chan!" came a scoff, as Derek Generic walked up. "You don't have enough brains to come up with a single clever plan! In order to subdue Katrina, you would need a LOT of brain-power,"

Flip sneered. "Oh yeah? SPELL 'subdue'."

Derek paused. "S… U… B… D… O… O…"

Pugsy made a buzzer noise. "Wrong. Better hit the books again, kid," he joked.

Derek sneered. "Well, I'm still more clever to handle Katrina!"

"What's this I hear about my beloved Katrina?" Robotnik demanded, walking out by this time.

"Beloved? I thought you two broke up because she wanted you to shave your mustache!" Scratch commented, carrying what looked like a laser on his back.

"(Shut up and get that thing up to the roof!)" Robotnik hissed, bashing Scratch on the head, forcing the lackey to keep moving (stumbling a bit in a daze as he did). The villainous manager then turned to them. "What's this I hear about Katrina?"

"She's just giving Holly a hard time. …Say, you went out with her, Robotnik, any ideas on how to get her off her case?" Flip asked.

"Even if I did, why would I care enough to share them with you? The less of you brats I have to deal with, the better!" he then looked at the playhouse. "…Speaking of which, aren't you all a little too old for playhouses?"

"It's for my nephews, the family's coming over for a visit tomorrow," Uncle Ted said.

"Oh, just what we need, more rotten kids!" Robotnik then stormed off inside.

"You know, I'm glad they broke up." Pugsy commented. "Their kids would have been miserabable."

"…Not to mention ugly." Derek included with a laugh.

"Look who's talking!" Zippy exclaimed, popping up behind him.

"AUGH!" Derek leaped behind Ted. "Geez, don't DO that!"

"Do you just have the habit of popping up out of nowhere?" Shaggy asked Zippy.

"I've had years of practice," Zippy said with a shrug.

As everyone was talking, Holly noticed something up on the balcony- a masked figure scaling the wall to the roof, a bo-staff on his back as he made it on the edge. She kept looking up, backing up a bit to see what exactly he was doing…

She failed to see the toolbox behind her, and tripped over it, crashing into the playhouse and knocking the walls down. "Oh!" she cried as she fell.

"Holly!" Flip gasped, helping her up.

"Are you alright?" Melody asked.

"Yeah- I saw someone up on the roof," Holly replied, pointing up at the roof.

Everyone looked up, but saw no one. "Are you sure? I don't see anyone up there," Uncle Ted said.

"You must be seeing things," Derek said. "Hanging around Flip must've numbed your brain,"

"Shut up, Derek!" Flip snarled, punching Derek in the ribs. The bully growled and prepared to deck him, but a firm glance from his uncle (mixed with a death-glare from Zippy and Pugsy) made him lower his fist.

"Well, it doesn't matter. We just have to rebuild the house again," Pugsy said with a sigh.

Holly turned, seeing the same masked figure standing on the edge, jumping off. "Oh my gosh, LOOK!" she screamed, pointing upward, then ran forth to catch the figure-

Slipping on some screwdrivers and falling forth into some cans of paint, making a huge mess everywhere!

"Zoinks, what was it NOW?" Shaggy asked, looking around.

"That figure… he jumped off the building and-" Holly looked, but saw no sign of the figure on the ground. She looked up, and noticed he wasn't anywhere in sight! "But… he…"

"Holly, I think you're seeing things." Melody said. "All this grief must be taking a toll on your mind!"

"Not to mention causing you to make a mess everywhere," Uncle Ted said. "Maybe you should go lay down or something, that should help-"

"Yeah, help keep her from doing more damage with her delusions!" Derek scoffed.

Flip glared at him. "SPELL 'Delusions'!" he sneered.

"D… L… U… Z… agh, my brain hurts!"

Holly stood up, wincing as she began to walk away. What was going on with her? Was she really going insane? Was the stress getting to her, causing her to see things?

"Narrator, you're not helping!" Shaggy said.

Holly sobbed, then took off running, having embarrassed herself enough that afternoon. "Holly, wait!" Melody called, but she paid her guardian no heed and kept running down the block.

It began to rain, adding to her misery, but at least washing the paint off her. She sat down on a bench, covering her eyes as she wept.

"My goodness, what could be going wrong that it would make a nice girl cry?" asked a voice, and Holly looked up, seeing Shawn K. standing by her, holding an umbrella over her head to block the rain.

"Oh, hello Shawn," Holly sniffled, wiping her eyes, trying to compose herself. "Just… having an awful day, that's all."

Shawn gave a frown. "I see… and I bet it's no doubt that Katrina Stonehart has something to do with it?"

Holly nodded. "Yeah… she made a rule excluding pets from the building, then made Brattina a 'building inspector', just so I couldn't bring home any animals. And if we break the rule, Melody gets kicked out, and I won't get to inherit the building when I'm 18!"

The cartoon all-star rubbed his chin. "Isn't Brattina a little young to be hired as an inspector? Not to mention, lacks a license to do so. …And Katrina may land herself in a world of trouble with all these rules. Why, I'll bet even that feline, Catgut, would resign from his loyalty to her if he couldn't stay- and if she let him, there would certainly be a riot from the other pet-owners."

"So, what am I supposed to do? Just sit and wait for something to happen?"

Suddenly, there were sirens blaring throughout the city as strong winds began to blow, and Shawn stood up, looking out in the distance. "We'll figure out a plan later, Holly- right now, we've got to get to shelter! There's a twister coming!"

They ran down the street, the winds picking up as the tornado drew closer.

"Arf! Arf!" came a high-pitched bark, and Holly looked, seeing that the little Pomeranian she had her eye on stuck under a chain-link fence, its collar snagged.

"Oh no!" she gasped, running over to help the dog. "Hold on, I'll have you out in a minute!"

Meanwhile at Paradise Towers, the guys had finished the playhouse just in time for the sirens to blare. "Quick, everyone to the basement!" Pugsy advised.

"Hey! What makes you think you can just go down to my la- I mean, basement?" Robotnik demanded.

"Dude, it's a tornado! Now move it!" Derek shouted, shoving the villain aside, and everyone ran in.

Robotnik groaned. "How could it get any worse?!"

Scratch ran up to him. "Bad news, boss. Someone sabotaged your new laser-beam- I tried testing it, but only mustard came out!" he said frantically. "Oh, and there's a tornado too,"

"ARGH! Just go down to the basement and make sure no one sees the rest of our machines!" Robotnik shoved Scratch inside, pulling a lever, and suddenly all the lights flashed red.

Shawn K. ran inside after, heading down to the basement. "Did Holly come down here?" he asked, noticing the girl was no longer beside him.

"No, you mean she's still out there?!" Melody gasped, running for the door. "We've got to go get her!"

"It's too late, I already put the building under lockdown!" Robotnik said. "Unless she gets here in the next 10 seconds, she'll be locked out!"

"Or worse, forced to stay in the basement at Trueblood Plaza with Katrina!" Zippy stated.

"We have to go save her!" Flip shouted, trying to bolt for the door.

Suddenly a large steel shield slammed down over it. Lockdown at begun.

Outside, Holly managed to free the dog, and picked it up, running down the street to the apartment building. Paradise Tower's doors were not only locked, but barred over. "Oh no," she groaned, and ran to Trueblood Plaza, but the doors were also locked! "Someone let me in! Please!" she shouted, pounding on the door, but no one answered.

The winds grew stronger and she looked over, seeing the tornado down the block, blowing debris everywhere! She tried to run towards the garage, but a large tree was uprooted and thrown in her path. She looked around for any sign of shelter, yet only saw the playhouse. Desperate, she ran towards it, sitting down inside and holding on to the dog for dear life.

The winds blew and tipped the house over, causing Holly to smack her head against the wall… and everything began to spin.

d~b

When Holly came to, everything was still spinning… and for a good reason.

The house had been sucked up by the tornado!

She looked out the window, seeing they were up in a cyclone. "Oh my gosh!" she screamed, holding on to the little dog for dear life.

Her eyes widened, as she saw the craziest things fly by! First there were Horace and Jasper in a fishing boat, reeling in a mermaid (who swatted them with her fin, releasing herself); Then came Uncle Ted and Shawn K. on a two-man bike, who waved to her (she waved back, though remained confused); Afterwards came Derek, who was close to the window and tried to lean in for a kiss- but Flip crashed into him, sitting in a go-cart.

Then came a very freaky image. It was Katrina, dressed as a witch, cackling at her as she reached for the window. Holly hung on to the dog in her arms, backing away in horror.

Suddenly, the winds stopped, causing the house to fall. "…oh, crud," Katrina gasped, looking down and began to plummet as well.

*THUD!*

Holly collapsed, the small dog laying beside her. She laid there for a minute, then slowly got up, feeling a bit sore but nothing was broken. She picked up the dog, seeing it was fine as well, then climbed out of the playhouse…

Seeing she landed somewhere far from home…

REALLY far.

"Whoa," Holly gasped, looking around as she saw a path of rainbow bricks, tall exotic trees with leaves that each changed a different color, and several houses that were different shapes- some round, others triangular, and some that even were build in a zig-zag pattern… and each had a different pattern of paint as well, from polka-dots to swirls to stripes to neon! "I don't think we're in Toonopolis anymore… where are we?" She looked around, seeing the area seemed deserted. "Hello? Hello! Is anyone here?"

"Bark! Bark!" the little dog yipped at something in the air. Holly looked up, seeing a little pink cloud floating down… and standing on that cloud was who she believed to be Melody- but with butterfly wings, a lovely gown, and holding a wand with a star on it.

"Melody? Is that you?"

She chuckled. "Melody? Last I checked, everyone around here called me The Good Witch of the North," she said. "Are you a witch, too?"

"Me? No, I'm Holly Trueblood,"

Melody pointed at the dog. "Is he one, then?"

"No, he's a dog."

"Really? Okay, for a minute I thought I was the only one who couldn't shape-shift, hee hee."

"Um, exactly, where am I?"

"You're in the land of Odd… located over the rainbow, three miles past the second star to the right, south of Wonderland. …Speaking of which, where did you come from?"

"Toonopolis. I don't know how I got here… can you help me get home?"

"I would… but the last time I tried to give someone a lift back home, I kind of goofed up…"

(We then get an image of Gilligan and Skipper on the island. "Skipper, do you think another witch might come and rescue us?" Gilligan asked, only to get swatted by Skipper.)

"But I know someone who can!" Melody the Good Witch pointed at the rainbow-brick path. "Just follow this path to the Sapphire City, where you'll find the wizard. He's really nice, and always has a solution!"

"Um, isn't it supposed to be a yellow-brick road leading to the Emerald City?"

"Yes, but we had to do some remodeling, due to copyright privileges."

"O-kay then… You really think the wizard can help me?" Holly asked, hopeful.

"Of course! Who wouldn't help out a little girl who just killed the Wicked Witch of the East?"

"Okay, that's good to- killed the what now?!"

"Sure, didn't you notice?" Melody pointed. "That little house you were in squished her flat!"

"HEY! I'm not dead!" Shouted the witch, Katrina, as she lifted the house. "Good grief, get knocked unconscious, and everyone's planning your funeral. And you!" she pointed at Holly. "Let me see your flying permit, you little brat! I'm reporting you to the sky patrol! I'll get you and your little dog-"

*CRASH!*

A tree suddenly fell over, crushing the Witch of the East. Her legs shriveled up and curled underneath, a pair of crystal shoes disappearing off her feet. The author and co-author (dressed as undertakers) walked over.

"Do you think getting crushed by a tree counts as a natural death?" The author asked, writing on a clipboard. "I mean, that tree just fell over, which is a natural occurrence…"

"Meh, just put 'accidental decease'." The co-author answered. "Better notify her next of kin,"

The author developed a panic look on his face. "Oh, heck no! YOU notify 'em! I don't want to wind up in the ICU!"

"Um… who's her next of kin?" Holly asked, suddenly feeling that an upcoming plot would be appearing to hunt her down.

*POOF!*

And I was right. In a cloud of smoke, Robotnik- dressed in witch's garb- appeared. "*Hack! Cough* Ugh! That leftover chili just isn't agreeing with me," he gagged, as he waved away smoke. He then looked over. "ALRIGHT! Who's responsible for the death of my sweet Katrina?!"

The author and co-author gulped. "Looks like our cameo ends here!" The co-author shouted, and they fled the scene.

Holly backed away, holding the little dog close. "W-Who is that?!" she asked Melody.

"That's Robotnik, the Wicked Witch of the West," The Good Witch of the North replied.

"Wicked WARLOCK of the West, you twit! Now tell me, who's responsible for Katrina's death?!" Robotnik demanded.

"Whoever made that tree fall,"

Robotnik then sighed mournfully. "Oh, sweet Katrina! Alas, you went too soon! Whenever I look to the east, I shall grieve. Nothing in the world matters to me now!"

"Didn't she say you could have her crystal sneakers if she died?"

Robotnik beamed. "Grieving time's over! Bring on the inheritance!" he ran over to the tree, looking around. "Where are they? What happened to them?!" he turned towards the Good Witch and Holly. "Have either of you- AHA!" he ran over, pointing down. "There they are!"

Holly looked down, and gasped. On her feet where a pair of crystal sneakers! "How did they get on my feet?!" she gasped.

"It doesn't matter, let me have them! Their power is ultimately great, and with them, I can seize control of the world!" he paused. "Er… did I say them out loud?"

Melody giggled. "You can't take them, Robotnik!"

"Oh?! And why not?!"

"Because as long as Holly wears them, they will remain with her. …Besides, they won't fit you, your feet are too big!"

Robotnik pondered this. "Fine… but don't think you'll get away with this, you little brat! I'll get those sneakers sooner or later!" he looked at the shoes again, seeing how small they were. "In the meantime, I'm going to go find a cobbler who can resize shoes made of gems," he then disappeared in a puff of smoke. "*GACK!* Ugh! The stench!"

"What do I do now?" Holly stammered, turning to Melody.

"Just follow the rainbow road to the Sapphire City and seek out the Wizard, and you'll be alright," Melody began to float off. "Right now, I have to go- I'm late for my shift as the tooth-fairy! Good luck!"

Holly gulped, then began to follow the rainbow road, the little dog beside her. "You know, I really should figure out a name for you, since we might be here a while." She said to the dog. "Maybe Scruffy, or Theo, or Yipper,"

The dog grimaced at all the names.

"Yeah, I don't like those either… hmm, well maybe-" she paused just then, seeing that she was at an intersection, the rainbow road leading left and right. "Names will have to wait. Which way should we go?"

She saw something run by and looked… seeing the masked figure from before. The dog began to bark, running after them.

"Wait! Come back!" Holly ran after them, going around the bend but lost sight of the masked figure, the little dog sniffing around to find a trace. A blond girl wearing a blue dress ran up to her. "Hey, did you just see a guy with a purple mask run by here?"

"No, did you see a white rabbit with a stop-watch?" the blonde girl (who we can easily guess is Alice) asked her.

"Uh, I think you're in the wrong story,"

"Am I? …Whoops! Must've taken a wrong turn." She then ran off.

Holly looked around, but saw no sign of the masked figure. Worst yet, she was at another intersection. "Great, this day just keeps getting complicated. Which way will lead me to the Sapphire City?"

"You could try left- it's quick, but the woods are dark; but right takes longer, and there isn't much scenery," came a voice.

Holly looked around. "Who said that?"

"Up here,"

She looked up… seeing a scare-crow who resembled Flip. "Did… did you just talk?"

"Well, my lips are moving, and words are coming out. So unless someone is using me as a ventriloquist dummy, yes, I am talking."

She observed him. "Flip?"

"No, I can't flip- not while I'm stuck on this pole, at least."

"No, I mean, you look like…"

"Hey, straw-head!" came a squawk, as a large Derek-like crow swooped down. "Who's your pretty friend?"

"I don't know, we didn't really introduce our-"Scarecrow Flip tried to say.

"Of course you don't know!" Crow Derek looked at Holly. "What would you expect from a loser with no brains?"

"You leave him alone, you big bully!" Holly snapped.

"Or what? You're going to sick that little dust-rag of yours on me? Haw haw caw- I mean, haw!"

*WHACK!*

Holly had uprooted a corn-stalk and proceeded to smack Crow Derek with it. "Ow! Knock it off!" *WHACK! "Ouch! I was just kidding!" *WHACK!* "Oof! Can't you take a-" *WHACK!* "OW! ALRIGHT! I'M GOING, I'M GOING!" With that, the crow flew off, grumbling to himself.

"Thanks. Boy, if I wasn't stuck on this pole, I'd make sure he kept his beak shut!" Scarecrow Flip said.

"Well, here, I can help you down," Holly said, then took the scarecrow's hand, while her other hand lifted up on his feet, pulling him off the pole. They both toppled over, pieces of straw falling out of Flip. "Oh, here, let me help you," Holly handed him the straw he had lost.

Scarecrow Flip chuckled. "You're a very helpful girl, aren't you?" he replied, then paused. "I'm sorry, I forgot to ask for your name!"

"It's Holly, what's yours?"

"Well… I don't know my name." his shoulders slumped. "It's kind of one of the many things I don't know. You see, when I was put together, I was never given a brain, so I don't know too much about anything," he stood up… then stumbled and fell. "…like walking, for example."

Holly helped him up. "Here, I'll show you. Just put one foot in front of the other," She guided him along, holding his hands while walking backwards in front of him.

Scarecrow Flip grinned, looking down at his feet, then up at Holly. "Hey, look at that! I'm walking!" he let out a laugh as they turn, beginning to spin, and without knowing it he let go of her hands, running and jumping in the air. "I'm free! I can finally get out of this cornfield! Yippee!" he then paused. "…but, where should I go?"

"I'm going to the Sapphire City to find the Wizard, so I can go home." She then blushed. "Maybe you could come with me? It would be good to have some company."

"Really? You mean it? Thanks!" he then rubbed his chin. "Say… you think this wizard could also give me a brain?"

"I'm sure he will. C'mon! Lets go… you said the road through the woods is the quickest way?"

"Did I? …Oh yeah, I did! …I think it is, at least… I just know there aren't any cornfields in that direction,"

"Well, no harm in exploring then!" Together, Holly and Scarecrow Flip continued down the rainbow road, the little dog following. "By the way, what should I call you?"

"How about that name you brought up when you first saw me? Flip, was it?"

Holly beamed. "I think that would suit you just fine,"

Scarecrow Flip grinned, then looked at the dog. "So, what's your dog's name?"

"I don't know, I haven't given him one yet. Do you know any good dog-names?"

"How about Sparky?"

The dog shook its head.

"You're right, too common. How about Gustav?"

The dog made a retching sound.

"Okay… hmm, what could we call you?"

"No use calling a dead dog!" came a shout, and suddenly a bolt of lightning struck the ground in front of them, inches from zapping the dog. They looked up, seeing Wicked Witch Robotnik flying through the air on a broom-stick-

*Crash!*

…soon hitting the ground, since it didn't support his weight. "Grr, flimsy piece of wood!" he snarled, picking up the broom.

"Who's that?" Scarecrow Flip gasped.

"The Wicked Witch of the West!" Holly replied, holding the dog close, once again.

"Warlock! I'm a WARLOCK, you imbeciles, and I've come for those crystal sneakers! Hand 'em over!"

"Crystal sneakers? …Aren't they supposed to be ruby slippers?" Scarecrow Flip asked.

"Yeah, but Payless© was sold out, so we had to go with something different… Now hand them over!"

"And let you rule the world? No way!" Holly retorted.

Robotnik grinned, then summoned a ball of fire. "Have it your way!" he then threw it, and it hit Scarecrow Flip's arm!

"AUGH! AUGH! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" Scarecrow Flip shrieked, waving his arm about. Holly quickly grabbed his hat, beating out the flames. "Whew, thanks…"

"Oh, don't thank her yet! There's more where that came from!" Robotnik exclaimed, summoning another ball of fire, this time lighting a fallen tree-branch and waving it around like a torch. Scarecrow Flip and Holly backed away, as the witch came closer…

*Splash!*

Water suddenly shot out, soaking the branch, and Robotnik let out a shriek and dropped it, backing away. "Who did that?!"

"Sorry, miss, but this area is under a Burn Ban," Zippy stated, appearing out of nowhere… and dressed in a pointy white hat that drooped in the back, a red tunic over a white shirt, and blue tights- making her look like an elf. "You'll have to take your great balls of fire somewhere else,"

"Miss?! I'm a man!"

She gave a mock-chuckle. "Yeah, no man I know wears a dress,"

Robotnik sneered. "It's a ROBE! …By the way, why are you dressed as an elf?! There weren't any elves in the wizard of oz!"

"Maybe she was aiming for a munchkin?" Scarecrow Flip guessed.

Zippy gave a deadpan look. "No, I'm just an immigrant from Middle Earth. I know not of this 'munchkin' that you speak of," she turned to Robotnik. "So are you going to get your fire-throwing butt out of here, or do I have to whip out the fire-hose again?" to make her point, she held up said hose.

"Gah! No need! I'm going!" Robotnik shouted, then turned to Holly. "Don't think you're safe from my wrath, girl! I'll be back!" he then climbed on his broom and flew off…

Or tried to, as the broom kept giving out beneath his weight, causing his feet to drag on the ground.

"Confound it! TAXI!" A taxi drove up, and he climbed inside. "Evil fortress, and step on it!" he then drove off.

"Thanks for helping us," Holly said to Zippy.

"Ah, I do what I can," Zippy said with a shrug.

"Yeah, but I think you drenched that guy over there!" Scarecrow Flip said, pointing over at a tall, masculine figure holding an axe.

"Uh… whoops, look at the time! I'm late for my Orc-slaying lessons!" Zippy then shot off.

Holly and Scarecrow Flip approached the figure after seeing he wasn't moving or saying anything. As they got closer, they could tell why- the figure was made of tin, and had rusted still! "This guy looks familiar…" Holly said, observing it.

"Anyone with a face that ugly could be easy to remember," Scarecrow Flip commented.

"Wait a minute… Pugsy!" she tapped him. "Wow… I think I'm starting to see the pattern, here."

"Mmf hmf nnm hnn!" came a stiff mumbling sound from the Tin-Pugs' mouth.

Holly arched an eyebrow. "What did you say?"

"I think he said 'Get the oil can'… or 'Bret's In Iran'… uh, who's Bret?" Scarecrow Flip replied.

"Oil can?" Holly looked, seeing an oil-can sitting by the Tin-Pugs' feet. "Oh! Here it is!" she picked it up, and squirted the grease on his mouth, so he could speak more clearly.

"Ah! About time," Tin-Pugs said, bitterly. "And who are you calling ugly, Straw-For-Brains? I oughtta chop you in half for that! …Right after I find that little nut-case who drenched me with the hose!"

"Maybe we should've left his mouth shut," Scarecrow Flip sneered.

"How about greasing my limbs? Kinda hard to move with everything stiffified, you know!"

Holly gave him a look. "How about asking nicely, first?"

"Fine- please oil me, and I won't chop you two to bits, how's that?"

"Geez, what a grouch!" Scarecrow Flip commented.

Holly crossed her arms. "Knock off the attitude, otherwise we'll leave you here rusted! How do you like that?!" she snapped at the Tin-Pugs.

"Oh, excusify ME, princess, but in case you didn't know, people aren't exactly pleasant when they've got a stiff neck, and everything else!" Tin-Pugs retorted.

"Hmph. Well if you can't find the heart to ask politely, you can stay like that."

Tin-Pugs' scowl turned to a solemn frown, and he sighed. "Geez, why don't you just call me a pile of rust?"

"What is it?" Scarecrow Flip asked.

"I don't have a heart. That's why I live clear out here- no one wants to be around someone who's heartless, so I figured 'Fine, I'll just stay out here and choppify down trees for a living,'. …Though, it got lonely after a while. I like my solitude, don't get me wrong, but after a while ya just wish someone would stop by for a visit… someone who doesn't make you want to put an axe in their back, I mean."

"You don't have a heart?" Holly repeated.

"Did I stutter? I don't. Put your ear to my chest,"

Holly did so, as well as Scarecrow Flip. "I don't hear anything," the latter said.

"That's because there's nothing there. Empty. Scarce. Void of a beat."

"Gosh, and I thought not having a brain was bad… but no heart? That's awful!" Scarecrow Flip gasped.

Tin-Pugs gave him a look. "Thank you, Captain Obvious, I wouldn't have realized that!"

"Hey, don't get hot-headed with me! …In fact, maybe we could help you. We're going to see the wizard to help us out,"

"Yeah, he's going to give Flip a brain, and help me get home!" Holly added. "Maybe if you join us, he could give you a heart,"

Tin-Pugs sneered. "What, you think I can't go without one?" he remarked.

"YES." Holly and Scarecrow Flip put bluntly.

Tin-Pugs considered this, then sighed bitterly. "Alright, alright, I'll take the offer… But first, can ya oil my arms and legs and everything? It would make the trip a lot easier if I could move!"

"Oh, right!" Holly said, then oiled his limbs.

He flexed a bit, bending his knees and arms, twisting a bit, then sighed in a relaxed manner. "That's better. …Well, c'mon you two! Are we going to see a wizard or not?" he said as he walked ahead.

They followed along, going up the rainbow road. Holly looked up at a tree…

For a minute, she could see the masked figure up there again! She gasped and rubbed her eyes, but he had once again disappeared. Weird… who is that guy, and why does he keep popping up? She wondered, but continued on.

As they walked, the little dog started to sniff Tin-Pugs… at one minute, hiked his leg when they paused, looking around. "No, bad boy! Don't do that! You don't want him to rust again, do you?" Holly said to the dog, picking him up.

"Did you come up with a name for him, yet?" Scarecrow Flip asked Holly.

"Yeah, you'll need one to put on his tombstone, if he mistakes me for a fire-hydrant again!" Tin-Pugs sneered.

"I don't quite know… How about Fluffy, or Snoopy?" Holly suggested as they continued through the woods.

Tin-Pugs rolled his eyes. "The first one is too demeaning… and the second one would land you in copyrighted trouble," he looked around, seeing that the woods had grown more dense, and even a little dark, despite it was still daytime. "I'd worry about names for that dog later, anyhow. Wait 'til we're out of these woods, first."

"He's right… who knows what could be running around here!" Scarecrow Flip agreed.

"Mostly lion, tigers, and bears, I would guess." Holly said.

"Not exactly!" Zippy exclaimed, popping up out of a bush.

"Yeow!" Tin-Pugs, by reflex, swung his axe in her direction- but Zippy ducked just in time. "Geez, if I had a heart, you'd have attackified it! …Wait, aren't you that munchkin girl who doused me with a hose?"

Zippy sneered. "I find it doubtable, considering I'm NOT a munchkin!" she stepped out, looking around. "Nope, I'd say these woods would be more of a territory for werewolves, vampires, and zombies."

"Werewolves?" Tin-Pugs repeated.

"Vampires?" Scarecrow Flip repeated.

"And zombies," Zippy concluded.

"Oh my," Holly gasped.

"Oh, please. What are the chances of us running into one of-" Tin-Pugs began to question.

"RAWR!" came a snarl, as a tall, lanky werewolf wearing a green shirt and blue jeans leaped out in front of them.

"You were saying?!" Scarecrow Flip yelped, diving behind Tin-Pugs.

The little dog ran up, barking at the werewolf, who snarled and began to chase it. "No! Leave him alone!" Holly shouted, picking up the dog quick and then gave the werewolf a kick in the snout.

"Ow! Zoinks, that hurt!" the werewolf whimpered, rubbing his snout.

"You think that hurt? Just wait 'til I get my hands on ya!" Tin-Pugs snapped, approaching him.

"GAH! One of them has an axe!" the werewolf leaped up into a tree, hanging on to a branch. "L-L-Like, please have mercy! I wasn't going to hurt him, I promise!"

"Then why were you chasing him?"

"Well, like, I didn't want him to bite me, man! That dog was looking at me like I was some sort of veggie-burger! …speaking of which, you guys wouldn't happen to have any food on you, would ya?"

Holly paused, studying him. "Shaggy?" she whispered to herself, recognizing such cowardly demeanor.

"You know, for a werewolf, you're quite cowardly," Scarecrow Flip pointed out.

"Though reeeaaallly hansom," Zippy added, dreamily.

The Shaggy Werewolf sighed. "Like, I know…but I can't help it, I'm a natural-born coward! And that's a bad thing when you're a werewolf," he said, climbing down from the tree. "I try to act courageous, but I only end up chickening out!"

Holly walked up, patting his paw. "It's alright, there's nothing wrong with being afraid,"

"There is if you can't sleep at night, or defend yourself, or get too nervous to even go up to a drive-thru!"

"Wow, you just don't have a single bit of courage in you, do you?" Tin-Pugs sneered.

"What he lacks inside he makes up for in looks, which is a lot more than I can say for you, rust-face!" Zippy sneered. Pugsy raised his axe, giving her a glare, which she returned while holding up a much bigger axe (he lowered his, turning away).

"In that case, why don't you come with us?" Holly asked the Shaggy Werewolf. "We're going to see a wizard, and he's going to help us all out- he could help you too!"

"You really think so?" the Shaggy Werewolf asked.

"If he helps us, he'll definitely help you," Scarecrow Flip assured.

"Alright… but, um, he's not scary, is he?"

"We don't know, we've never seen him. But don't worry, he can't be that bad," Holly said.

"Okay, I'll go… uh, is that munchkin girl coming, too? She's creeping me out,"

Zippy sneered. "I'm not a munchkin! …Geez, that's it, I'm changing my costume!" she snapped, then stormed off.

"Good riddance," Tin-Pugs scoffed, and they continued down the road.

The dog followed as usual. The Shaggy Werewolf stuck close to Scarecrow Flip. "Like, that dog doesn't bite, does he?" he asked.

"Not that I know of… I don't even know his name! …Though, to be fair, we haven't decided on one for him yet." Scarecrow Flip said. "Do you know any good dog names?"

"Hey! Can we put that running gag on hold and just focus on getting to the Sapphire City?" Tin-Pugs demanded.

"I guess it would be easier to think up a name for him, once we get our problems solved." Holly said with a shrug. "I just hope we don't run into that Wicked Witch again,"

"WITCH?! There's a witch?! No one said anything about a witch- I'm out!" the Shaggy Werewolf yelped, turning to run.

Tin-Pugs grabbed him by the tail, yanking him back, and hauling him over his shoulder. "Why do I always get stuck with the weird-wolves?" he muttered as they continued on.

d~b

Little did the group know that they were being watched by the Wicked Witch, Robotnik. "WARLOCK, you stupid narrator!" he snapped, then looked into a TV-monitor, which showed an image of the group walking down the rainbow road. "So, that little brat gathered more allies, did she?"

"Hey, isn't one of them supposed to be a lion?" asked Jasper- who looked like a flying monkey, along with the rest of the lackeys.

"Does it really matter?" Grounder asked. "He's a coward, after all."

"Yeah, but it seems kind of pointless, since two of the guys look like the original characters they're portraying, while the other has a totally different species outside of the original-"

"NEVER MIND THAT! What matters is that they're getting close to the Sapphire City, and I still haven't gotten those crystal sneakers!" Robotnik shouted, then walked over to a shelf, grabbing a box of seeds. "We'll take care of them, though. This box is filled with 'Cannibal Cactus' seeds- plants that are guaranteed to devour anyone who wanders too close! …Comes in handy when you want to keep annoying salesmen away,"

"Nice! But, um, how's that going to help?" Horace asked.

"Simple, you fools! That wretched brat and her friends have to cross this field in order to get to the city… but if we plant these seeds and grow some Cannibal Cactus in their wake, they'll never make it, then the crystal sneakers shall belong to me once again, and I will rule the world!" he then cackled evilly.

"You know, boss, you shouldn't really say that sort of thing out loud." Jasper said.

"Yeah, it's bad enough you post it all over Fakebook!" Scratch added.

"Shut up and get flying, you twits! I want these seeds planted in that field, ASAP!" Robotnik shouted.

"Sure thing, Boss!" Grounder said as Robotnik handed him the box of seeds… but he ended up tripping over his own tail, the seeds falling out of his hands and out a window! He gasped, looking around, and saw an identical box on the shelf, and quickly grabbed it before his boss noticed.

"Lets go!" Jasper exclaimed, and they all flew off towards the field.

As they flew overhead, Robotnik pointed down, motioning Grounder to pour the seeds. He did so, while the rest of the lackeys flew lower and poured water over the seeds.

With ridiculously rapid speed shown only in cartoons, the seeds sprouted… into pink flowers. "What the…?! YOU IDIOTS! These aren't the right seeds! These are… are… SLEEPING POSIES!" Robotnik bellowed, standing by the field.

"…oops," Grounder said, quietly. "What do they do?"

"They'll cause anyone within range to… fall…. Asleeeeeeep…" Robotnik's eyes began to droop, and suddenly he fell to the ground, being too close to the flowers and falling asleep.

The lackeys followed suit, dropping to the ground in a series of snores.

d~b

Before long, our heroes came across the field, without knowing about the affects of the sleeping posies. They only noticed the Sapphire City in the distance, as they came out of the woods.

"There it is! We're almost there!" Scarecrow Flip exclaimed.

"C'mon, don't just stand around, lets go!" Tin-Pugs said, and they all started running across the field.

Within seconds, Holly, the Shaggy Werewolf, and the little dog began to slow down their pace, their eyes drooping as they each yawned. "Like, slow down guys," the Shaggy Werewolf called out, while yawning.

"Slow down? Hurry up is more like it! What're you slow-pokes waiting for?"

"C'mon, Holly, we're so close!" Scarecrow Flip exclaimed.

"How about if we rest first?" Holly suggested, sitting down. "I'm pretty tired…"

"No, don't stop now!"

"I'm with Holly…" the Shaggy Werewolf said, lying down. "Just a few minutes… zzzzzzz…"

"Wake up, you nit-wolf! We don't have time for this!" Tin-Pugs snapped. The dog yawned and lied down beside him. "Oh, not you, too!"

But it was no use. Holly, the Shaggy Werewolf, and the little dog were soon in a deep slumber.

"Tin-Pugs, what're we going to do?!" Scarecrow Flip stammered.

"It must be these flowers! They're making everyone fall asleep!" Tin-Pugs realized. He then picked up the Shaggy Werewolf, slinging him over his shoulders, while picking up the little dog. "C'mon, if we can get them out, it might help them awaken up!"

Scarecrow Flip nodded, then picked up Holly, carrying her bridal-style as he followed Tin-Pugs across the field. "It's a good thing we're not human or animals, otherwise we would've fallen asleep too and couldn't help,"

"Yeah- maybe you're not as dumb as you think, if you figured that out by yourself,"

Scarecrow Flip gave him a look, not knowing whether that was a genuine compliment, or a mocking insult.

They made it back on the rainbow road, lying everyone down and shaking them awake. "Uhn… what happened?" Holly asked, stretching.

"Like, wow, what a nap…" the Shaggy Werewolf yawned.

"You guys fell asleep because of those flowers," Scarecrow Flip told them. "And I may not have a brain, but I figure it must be the work of the Wicked Witch!"

"…zzzz… that's warlock… zzzz…" Robotnik snored from across the field, though no one noticed.

"Well, what should we do? If anyone else comes along, they could end up falling asleep, too!" Holly noted.

Suddenly there was a glow, and Melody the Good Witch appeared on her pink cloud again. "Perhaps I could help," she said, then waved her wand. Immediately, the posies were transformed into daisies, the sleeping spell gone.

"Like, thanks! How did you do that?" The Shaggy Werewolf asked.

"Hee hee, it's easy when you're a witch!"

"Witch? …Wow, you're the first witch I've ever met who wasn't scary,"

Melody smiled. "And you're the first sweetest werewolf I've ever met,"

Zippy suddenly popped up between them. "Watch it, sister! I saw him first!" she snapped… and everyone noticed she was wearing a white bandana, red open-vest over a cream-colored shirt, and blue Arabian-styled pants, and pointed slippers.

Melody giggled. "Sorry, Zippy… um, why are you dressed as a pirate? I thought you were supposed to look like a munchkin!"

Zippy sneered. "Precisely the reason I changed… now, are you guys going to continue to the Sapphire City, or wait for the Good Witch here to do another magic show?"

"I think a magic show would be nice," Tin-Pugs said with a smirk, then turned to Melody. "Think you can make Zippy disappeariate?"

"I can try!" Melody said with a shrug.

"Gah! Alright, I know when I'm not wanted! Sheesh!" Zippy exclaimed. "That heartless loudmouth is asking for a dent in a place where the sun don't shine…"

"Good luck, everyone!" Melody then floated away.

"Thank you!" Holly said, then turned to the others. "C'mon, lets get to the Sapphire City and quick!"

"I'm with you on that!" Scarecrow Flip agreed, and they all ran down the road towards the city.

Minutes after they took off, Robotnik and his flying-monkeys came to. "Ugh… well, now I know what kind of flowers to send to mother," he muttered, then saw the heroes approaching the city. "Argh! Blast it!" he grabbed his broomstick. "Time for Plan B!" he tried to take off-

*Thud!*

…only to realize he was still too heavy for the broom. "…Drat."

"Um, boss? You think flying on that broom would be easier if you lost some weight?" Scratch asked.

*ZAP!*

Robotnik zapped him with lightning, turning him to a pile of ashes with blinking eyeballs. He glared at his remaining 3 lackeys, who quickly avoided eye-contact. "Back to the castle!" he bellowed.

d~b

Within half an hour, our group of heroes arrived at the Sapphire City. Holly knocked on the door that stood before them. "Oh man, I can't believe we're finally here!" Scarecrow Flip said, giddily.

"Yeah- took us, what, a whole hour to get here?" Tin-Pugs remarked.

A window in the door opened, and Uncle Ted- wearing a tall sapphire-colored hat and matching bowling-shirt- answered. "Oh, hey! Didn't know it was tourist season, already!" he said.

"We're not tourists. We're here to see the wizard!" Holly told him.

"The wizard? Ooh, uh, hate to break it to you, but the wizard isn't really seeing anyone today. He said he was going to be busy,"

"Oh, please? We've come such a long way already,"

"Again, a whole hour." Tin-Pugs scoffed. Scarecrow Flip shushed him.

"Like, you gotta give us a solid, man. There's a crazy witch after us!" the Shaggy Werewolf whimpered.

"A witch is after you? Why?" Uncle Ted asked.

"Because I'm wearing the crystal sneakers," Holly said, then showed him the shoes.

"Whoa! Well, why didn't you say so? I think I could see if the wizard will squeeze you in," he shut the window.

Within seconds, the doors of the city opened, and our heroes walked in, looking around, seeing everything was made of or colored sapphire. "I guess they could only afford one color," Tin-Pugs commented.

"Said the guy who's wearing nothing but gray," the Shaggy Werewolf joked. Tin-Pugs glared at him and raised his axe, and the werewolf yelped and ducked behind Scarecrow Flip. "Zoinks, man, do you need a sense of humor, too?!"

"Right this way, guys!" Uncle Ted called, leading them across the town square towards a large palace. "Let me go in and break the ice for ya. Wait here!"

They watched as he walked into the palace, and sat down on the steps. "So, what should we do while we wait?" Scarecrow Flip asked.

"We could try thinking up names for that dog," the Shaggy Werewolf suggested.

"And restart that running gag? Think again," Tin-Pugs scoffed, leaning back. "I say we just kick back and relax,"

"I kind of agree. It's a nice day- not a cloud in the sky!" Holly added.

The Shaggy Werewolf looked up. "Uh, I see a few clouds… and they're all spelling something!" he yelped, pointing up at the sky.

Everyone looked, gasping.

Up in the air was Robotnik… this time riding a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner, smoke billowing out of it as it spelled the words: "Surrender Holoe's"

…Of course, he accidentally spelled it over another message that read "Eat At Joe's", so it was kind of hard to understand. Growling he took out a giant paper-fan and erased the typo, and spelled, "Surrender Holly, or Die!"

"Like, zoinks, and zoinks again!" the Shaggy Werewolf yelped, ducking behind Tin-Pugs. "That witch is really out for us, now!"

"WARLOCK!" Robotnik bellowed from the sky.

"Who's Holly?/What does he want with her?/What should we do?/What happened to my advertisement?!" people in the city (one of them named 'Joe') cried out frantically as they spotted the message as well.

"Quick, to the wizard, he should know!" one citizen exclaimed, and everyone ran towards the palace, and our heroes had to step out of the way to avoid getting trampled.

Uncle Ted came out, just in time to stop the mob. "Whoa, take it easy, everyone! The Wiz said he'd handle it! Go back to your homes, everything will be fine!" he assured, motioning the crowd to go back to their business. Our heroes stepped up to him, as he wiped his brow. "Whew! Didn't see a rush like that since the last Black Friday sale!"

"Okay, we've really got to see the wizard, pronto!" Tin-Pugs said, firmly. "That weirdo-witch means business!"

"I'm sorry guys, but the wizard won't allow anyone in, especially since there's a witch after this 'Holly' person,"

"But I'm Holly!" Holly told him. "Oh, please, we have to see him!"

"You're Holly? Well, sheesh, you should've said that sooner! …Alright, I can let you in, since you guys are a special case," He opened the palace doors and let them go inside, leading them down a corridor that lead to a large door at the end of the hall. "He's right in there,"

"Aren't you going to go in with us?" Scarecrow Flip asked.

"I would… but I'm late for a bowling tournament. Good luck, guys!" With that, Uncle Ted took out a bowling-ball bag and rushed out.

Everyone turned towards the door. "Alright… so who wants to go first?"

"Not it!" the Shaggy Werewolf exclaimed, turning to run, but Tin-Pugs yanked him back.

"Oh no, you're coming with us! You want your courage, don't you?" Tin-Pugs scoffed.

"You know, maybe having 'courage' is overrated… I mean, too much of it can make you do stupid things, right? Just look at all those daredevils out there, landing themselves in hospitals and cemeteries- gah! Why did I say that last part?!"

"Don't worry, Shag, we'll all go in together," Holly said, taking his paw. Scarecrow Flip held her hand, and grabbed Tin-Pugs' hand with the other, and together they all entered the room.

It looked like a throne-room, with dark curtains keeping out the sunlight, the only light coming from the glow of the torches that shined by the throne. Suddenly, smoke began to billow out, and a silhouetted figure sat on the throne, having appeared after the smoke cleared. "Who dares disturb the great and power- er, I mean, the awesome and mighty Wizard of Odd?" his voice rang out, causing shivers up their spines.

The Shaggy Werewolf tried to run, but Holly held him in place. "U-Um… pardon us, sir, but we really need your help!" she said, meekly.

"Well, don't waste any time! Come forth and tell me what you want- one at a time, please."

Tin-Pugs walked up first. "I'm the Tin-Pugs, and I'd like a heart," he said.

"Why? Do you really want to risk having a heart that could easily break? It is a fragile thing- too fragile for a brute like you to handle!"

Tin-Pugs gripped his axe. "Oh yeah?! We'll see how you manage without one-!" he was about to charge, but Scarecrow Flip ran up and held him back.

"Tin-Pugs, calm down!" he whispered.

"What of you, straw-boy? What do you want?" the wizard demanded.

Scarecrow Flip paused with a jolt. "Me? I, uh… well, I'm… um… g-gosh, my name escaped me… I-I'd like a brain…"

"So I noticed- if you can't even remember your name, you probably wouldn't know how to use a brain!"

"Now can I axe him?" Tin-Pugs whispered, as Scarecrow Flip bowed his head in shame.

"Now hang on, man! You can't just-" the Shaggy Werewolf began to protest.

"And what's your problem, fang-face?!" the wizard snapped.

"Yikes! Um… wrong werewolf, man…" the werewolf began backing away. "I-I'd like some c-c-c-"

"Out with it!"

*Thud!*

The Shaggy Werewolf fainted.

"Oh!" Holly gasped, then stormed up to the wizard. "You bully! We came here to ask for your help, there's no reason to just insult us like that! Why, if I wanted to deal with such behavior, I'd have gone with the wicked witch!"

"The wicked witch? So you're the one he's after, are you?" the wizard guessed.

"Yeah, and she came all this way, asking if you could send her back home!" Scarecrow Flip added.

"Hmm… A heart, a brain, courage, and a trip home is quite a lot to ask of a wizard such as I. Such requests would require a favor…"

"What do we have to do?! Slay the wicked witch ourselves?!" Tin-Pugs sneered.

"Actually, I was just going to ask you guys to do my grocery shopping, but that's a better idea!"

"Nice going, loudmouth," Scarecrow Flip muttered.

"Go and slay the Wicked Witch of the West, and I shall grant your requests. And to prove you did so, bring me back his vacuum!"

"Uh, you mean his broomstick?" Holly questioned.

"Are you kidding? That twiggy thing probably snapped under his weight by now- besides, I need a new one. Now go! The wizard has spoken!" In a plume of smoke, the mysterious wizard had disappeared.

By this time, the Shaggy Werewolf came to. "Ugh… like, what happened? Is he going to give us what we want?" he asked.

"No, he has a job for us to do first," Tin-Pugs muttered.

"Job? What kind of job?"

"Oh, nothing too big- we just have to go slay the wicked witch!" Scarecrow Flip replied.

"Huh, well that shouldn't be so- SLAY THE W-W-W-WHAT?!"

*Thud!*

The werewolf-coward passed out once more.

"Well, he's pumped for it," Tin-Pugs scoffed.

d~b

Meanwhile, at Wicked Robotnik's castle, the evil witch- I mean, 'warlock' gazed into his crystal ball. "So, that pesky girl and her friends are going 'witch hunting', are they?" he said to himself.

"Ooh, lets see if we can get them to go to Narnia, and slay their witch." Horace said.

"How about those witches from Eastwick?" Scratch added.

"I was thinking of that old brood who lived in that gingerbread house five blocks over," Grounder included.

"Quiet, you dolts! I'm plotting!" Robotnik snapped at them. "I want you to fly out there and ambush Holly and those nimrod friends of hers! Do what you must to the others, but bring me that girl alive!"

"Right, boss! Lets move out, you blokes!" Jasper exclaimed, and the lackeys jumped out the window-

*CRASH!*

"Ow… you numbskulls! Not all at once!"

"Oh, beg pardon, your majesty! I didn't know there was a specific flight-plan!" Scratch snapped.

Robotnik groaned, face-palming. "I should have gone with the flying-tiger henchmen, when I had the chance…" he muttered.

d~b

With our heroes, they entered the dark woods. Tin-Pugs carried his axe, Holly carried a net, Scarecrow Flip carried a baseball bat, and the Shaggy Werewolf shakily held a mallet. Even the dog was armed, carrying a sheathed hunting-knife in its mouth.

"Why witch-hunting?" The Shaggy Werewolf whimpered. "Like, why couldn't it have been something easy, like finding a mystical object, or breaking a curse, or helping him meet a girl?"

"None of those sound easier than hunting a witch," Scarecrow Flip remarked.

"But they're less suicidal!"

"Ah, shut up. We've seen the most that dumb witch can do," Tin-Pugs scoffed. "He tried to stop us with a sleeping spell, and practically had a heart-attack when Zippy whipped out a fire-hose, and can barely fly a broomstick!"

"True… but I think his flying monkeys can do worse!" Holly yelped, pointing upward.

Jasper, Horace, Scratch, and Grounder all swooped down towards our heroes. Tin-Pugs tried to fend them off with his axe, but Grounder changed one of his drills into a water-pail and dumped it on him, making him rust stiff!

Scarecrow Flip tried to swing his baseball bat at them, but Jasper caught it and swung him around in the air, letting go and causing him to slam into a tree, straw going everywhere! There was a growling noise, and he saw the little dog attacking him at the ankles. He simply sneered and kicked it away, then turned… then yelped in pain as the dog ran back and bit his tail. "Why you…!" he growled, then grabbed the dog by the tail and threw him in a burlap sack.

The Shaggy Werewolf ran around frantically, trying to avoid the mayhem, but ended up standing face-to-face with Horace. "Boo." The lackey said with a smirk.

"ZOINKS!" The Shaggy Werewolf helped, leaping behind a boulder and hiding.

Holly was grabbed by Scratch, kicking and screaming, as he shot into the air with her. "I got her! I got her!" he exclaimed.

"Back to the castle, there ain't a thing these bums can do now!" Jasper exclaimed with a laugh, and they all flew off to the castle with Holly and the little dog in a sack.

Scarecrow Flip looked up in horror. "HOLLY!" he cried, wishing he had a brain so he could figure out what to do.

d~b

Later at the castle, Robotnik stood in his lair, with Holly tied to a chair, overcome with despair, as trouble was in the air… and a spider crawled in Robotnik's mustache-hair.

"GAH! WHAT?!" Robotnik shouted, rapidly brushing his mustache in alarm.

(Man, I love rhyming).

Robotnik growled. "Argh, blasted narrator!" he turned to Holly. "Alright, you little brat, time to hand over those sneakers!" he then reached for them-

*KER-ZAP!*

The Wicked Robotnik Witch shrieked as he was shot backwards, electricity running through his mustache. He coughed out smoke. "Blast! Those shoes must be protected by magic!"

Holly looked over. "Or, you stepped on that wire," she said, nodding down at a wire that was slightly slit open and sparking. "Seriously, you really should see what all your insurance covers. If any water spilled on that, someone would be toast!"

"Ha! We don't carry water around here, so the only one who'll be toast will be you!"

"Why don't you carry water? Isn't that essential to any fortress? I mean, how do you take showers?"

"I don't!" As if to prove this, Robotnik passed by a vase of flowers, that immediately died the moment the vapor running off him engulfed them.

Holly cringed. "Eewww…"

"Now, hand over those slippers, or you can kiss your little dog goodbye!" he pointed over at Horace, who held the little dog.

"What? Oh, boss, I was hoping we could keep him!" Horace whimpered. "He's so cute!"

"And, uh, the girl is tied to a chair, sir. How can she hand the shoes over?" Grounder added.

"Yeah, you can pretty much just take them off!" Jasper added.

"Er… I knew that! I just, ah, like to hear her pleas for mercy after I ask it!" Robotnik replied.

"I'm not pleading for mercy, though." Holly replied.

"SHUT UP! I'm taking those shoes, now!" he then grabbed the crystal sneakers and gave them a pull.

Then a yank.

Then tried to pry them off. "Blast it to Mars, why aren't these things budging?!" he demanded.

"It must be the magic, sir! The Good Witch did say that they'll remain on her feet," Horace said.

"Confound it! Well then, it looks like I have no choice… It's time for desperate measures!"

Robotnik then took out a knife, and Holly gasped…

Then he stuck it in a bucket of butter, and smeared it on her feet. He then tried to pull the shoes off again, but it didn't work. "Stupid solidified milk-product!" he growled, throwing the butter away (having it hit Scratch on the head). "Someone get the liquid soap!"

"Good idea, boss, the soap might make the shoes slick enough!" Jasper said.

"Not for the shoes, you fool! I got that blasted butter on my hands!"

"But, um, how are you going to wash them? We don't have water!" Horace pointed out.

"JUST LOOK!"

The lackeys yelped and got searching.

Holly sighed. She looked over, seeing that Horace had set the dog down as he helped the other lackeys look for some soap, and the Pomeranian ran out the door. Well, at least ONE of us escaped, she thought, hoping her chance of escape would come, soon.

d~b

The nameless Pomeranian ran out the castle and through the woods… he wasn't really going for help though. Nope, being in an area full of un-marked trees, he felt it was his right to claim some territory. Plus, it had been a long road-trip, and he'd been holding it in quite a while…

*ahem* Toilet-humor aside, he sniffed around, looking for a spot to mark… when he came across a familiar, metallic scent, and found the Tin-Pugs, still rusted still!

Then he proceeded to hike his leg.

"Whoa! I wouldn't do that if I were you, pup!" The Shaggy Werewolf exclaimed, quickly picking up the dog and setting him over by a tree. "Here, here's a nice, private spot for you instead."

"Hey… the dog! He's alive!" Scarecrow Flip exclaimed, still being in pieces. "He must have escaped! Maybe he can lead us to Holly," he looked at the dog. "How about it, boy? Can you take us to Holly?"

The dog only sniffed him, then sat down and scratched his ear.

"Like, I don't think it's any use, Flip." The Shaggy Werewolf replied, helping Scarecrow Flip pull himself together and stuff the straw back in him. "He doesn't understand a word you're saying!"

Scarecrow Flip pondered a moment. "Well… what about you, then? You can talk to him, can't you?"

"Me?!"

"Sure! Werewolves are basically part-dog, so maybe you can communicate with the canine. At least give it a try!"

The Shaggy Werewolf sighed. "Alright… It's not the first time I've shared a conversation with a dog,"

The werewolf knelt in front of the Pomeranian, both of them exchanging soft growls and short yips, then the little dog ran ahead a bit.

"Like, it worked! He knows the way!" the Shaggy Werewolf said, helping Scarecrow Flip stand now that he was put back together.

"Great, lets go!" Scarecrow Flip exclaimed, and they ran down the path…

…though, forgot something.

"A-HEM!" Tin-Pugs mumbled as loudly as he could.

They ran back. "Whoops! Almost forgot- you were so quiet we forgot you were here!" Scarecrow Flip said, taking the oil-can and greasing their tin-friend.

"Too bad he can't be like that more often," the Shaggy Werewolf joked.

Tin-Pugs moved his stiff-joints, then glared at the werewolf. "Watch it, nit-wolf," he groused. "Now, get moving, we don't have any time to lose! Holly needs us!"

They ran forth, following the Pomeranian up the path that led to Robotnik's castle.

d~b

Meanwhile in said fortress, the wizard-

"I'm not a wizard!" Robotnik snapped.

My bad. The witch-

"Not a 'witch', either!"

Sorry. The weasel-

"That's not even a mythical creature!"

The wookie-

"BLAST IT, MAN, I'M A WARLOCK! Get it right, already!"

Sure thing, Wiley- I mean, Robotnik.

The villain groaned, face-palming, then turned and looked at his lackeys, who were trying to use a crow-bar to get the shoes off… but it only ended up snapping in half! "Dang it, that's the third one in a row!" Jasper snapped, tossing it to the side. "One of you blokes go get some string and tie to the door handle- we'll yank these things off like we did with Horace's tooth!"

"Argh, it's no use!" Robotnik snapped, walking over. "No matter what we try, those crystal sneakers won't come off!" he then paused, smirking evilly. "As long as she's alive…"

Holly gasped. "You're going to kill me, just for some shoes?!" she stammered. "Good grief, and I thought Daphne's obsession was unhealthy…"

"Don't be absurd! I may be a villain, but I wouldn't stoop so low as to kill a young, innocent girl!"

*Scene Change*

Robotnik had Holly chained up in the dungeon. "I'll just have some beast kill you instead, then while he's munching on your bones, I'll take the crystal sneakers!" he then walked out. "Try not to scream too loud, he hates that,"

*SLAM!*

He locked the dungeon door, leaving Holly in the dark. She whimpered, looking around, worried about what kind of monster Robotnik had locked her in with.

d~b

Scarecrow Flip, Tin-Pugs, and the Shaggy Werewolf arrived at the castle within minutes, the little dog right beside them. "Hey, aren't there supposed to be a bunch of guards marching and chanting at this point?" Scarecrow Flip asked.

"Look here," the Shaggy Werewolf said, pointing at a sign that read…

Guards On Vacation

Please Capture Yourselves

"Well, there went that memorable scene. Now, lets go find Holly!" Tin-Pugs said as they entered the castle.

The first thing they noticed upon entering the castle was the fact that it was creepier on the outside. It was darker, all too quiet, had eerie Gothic pictures hanging on the walls, Medieval torture devices propped here and there, and a portrait of Robotnik lying on the beach!

"I think I'm going to be sick…" the Shaggy Werewolf whimpered.

"Stay strong, Shag! Just think about how much Holly needs us now," Scarecrow Flip told him, gripping his arm as they walked down a corridor.

Tin-Pugs scouted ahead, peeking around corners and in doorways to make sure it was safe, then motioned the others to follow. At one point Scratch was walking by, and the Pomeranian began to growl, and Scarecrow Flip had to pick him up and cover his mouth. Grounder came by next, and they quickly disguised themselves with their surroundings- Scarecrow Flip posed in front of a large portrait of a farm in autumn, the Shaggy Werewolf lied on the floor pretending to be a skin-rug, and Tin-Pugs posed beside a suit of armor, with the little dog hiding behind him.

Once it was clear, they continued on, keeping eyes and ears strained for any sign of Holly. Eventually, they came across three different hallways… and they were hearing Robotnik's shouting from behind them. "Where's my coffee?!" he was snarling, impatiently.

"We've gotta split!" Tin-Pugs whispered. "Each of us will take a hallway. Hurry!"

"Oh man…" the Shaggy Werewolf said with a tremble, but knew they didn't really have many options. "Alright, but I'm taking the dog!"

"Good deal, now go!" Scarecrow Flip urged, and they all ran down different hallways.

d~b

The Shaggy Werewolf went down the left hall, biting his claws in nervousness, as the little dog walked beside him. "L-L-Like, of all the places we had to split up in, why'd it have to be here?" he stammered to himself. "Why couldn't it be at a pizza parlor, or a Scooby-Snacks factory, or a candy store?"

"Woof! Woof!" The little dog barked, running ahead of him.

"Hey! Wait up!" the werewolf followed the Pomeranian down the hall and down a set of stairs. Halfway down the stairs, however, he noticed how it was much darker, and there seemed to be a vicious growl echoing below. "Oh no, no way! There is NO way I'm taking one more step into that creepy cellar!"

The little dog growled at him, as if scolding him.

"Like, don't use that tone with me, furball! I might be a coward, but I'm still smart enough to avoid places where I could easily end up in the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet In The Sky! Nothing doing, I'm staying up here!"

"AAAUUUGH!" came a shriek, belonging to Holly.

"Holly?" The Shaggy Werewolf looked back down into the darkness upon hearing the scream. He still didn't want to go down there, but he didn't want anything to happen to Holly, either! "Ohh… I'm gonna regret this… Hang on, Holly! I'm coming!"

The little dog followed the werewolf as they ran down into the darkness.

d~b

Meanwhile, in the right tunnel, Tin-Pugs encountered Horace and Grounder. "Hey! You wouldn't happen to be one of those guys helping Holly, would you?" Grounder questioned.

"Umm… No, I'm uh… the cable guy. My name's Larry." Tin-Pugs answered, casually.

"Oh, okay! Well, the TV room is that way-"

"You idiot! He's that bucket of bolts we rusted, back in the woods!" Horace snapped, cracking his fists. "C'mon, lets turn him into scrap-metal!"

They lunged, but Tin-Pugs was ready for them, as a cloud of dust erupted during their brawl. The dust cleared once, showing the two lackeys trying to keep him pinned down, but he overpowered them and the fight continued; when the dust settled again, Tin-Pugs was bashing their heads together, though they tackled him afterwards; when it settled a third time… Horace and Grounder were strangling each other, and Tin-Pugs was trying to choke himself with the handle of his own axe. They all paused, exchanging awkward looks, then got back into a brawl.

Tin-Pugs managed to subdue them, tying their monkey-tails together and hanging them on a hook. "Now, where's Holly?!" he demanded, threateningly holding up his axe.

"You're wasting your time, rust-bucket!" Horace scoffed.

"Yeah, she's probably getting eaten alive in the dungeon as we speak!" Grounder added.

Upon hearing this, Tin-Pugs clenched his fists, and steam blew out the top of his head, and he shot down the hall. "You'd better hope she's alright, otherwise I'll be serving monkey-brains for dinner!" he shouted back at them.

Grounder laughed. "Ha! The joke's on him- we don't even HAVE brains!"

"Yeah! …Hey, wait a minute…" Horace sneered.

d~b

With Scarecrow Flip, he was in the middle tunnel, checking every room. "Holly? Are you in here?" he whispered, peeking in one room, then continued on. "Oh, where is she?"

"Lost, straw-boy?" came a chuckle, as Jasper and Scratch stepped in his way.

The small scarecrow sneered at them. "What did you do with Holly?!"

"Oh, don't worry about her. I have a 'burning feeling' that you should get running!" Scratch exclaimed, lighting a match and taking out a can of hair-spray.

As he sprayed it, he held the match under it, making a hand-made flame-thrower! Scarecrow Flip gasped, dodging each blast. He jumped to the left, to the right, ducking and jumping as the two henchmen tormented him with their sick game. He then bumped into a wall, seeing a rope tied to a hook, which lead up to a chandelier.

"Hey, missed me!" Scarecrow Flip exclaimed, making a face at them. Scratch blew another flame at him, but the scarecrow dodged, having it light the rope on fire!

With a *snap!* the rope broke, and the chandelier fell on the henchmen. "…Why did we fall for that old trick?" Scratch questioned.

"I blame lazy-writing…" Jasper muttered.

Tin-Pugs then ran up. "Flip, c'mon! Holly's in the dungeon and is about to be eaten!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, man! We gotta get down there, fast!" Scarecrow Flip gasped.

"Well here's a short-cut you can take!" Jasper snapped, then reached up and pulled a torch down, which was really a secret lever…

Activating a trap door beneath Tin-Pugs and Scarecrow Flip. "Oh, I hate clicheeeeeeeeeeees!" Tin-Pugs shouted as they fell.

d~b

The Shaggy Werewolf and the Pomeranian made it to the dungeon area, where they heard Holly's cries for help. "Holly! Don't worry, we're here!" he called to her.

"Shaggy! Oh, hurry and get me out! There's… there's something in here!" Holly shouted, yelping as a clawed hand swiped at her. Apparently, whatever creature was in the cage was also chained back, but it was getting close to breaking loose.

The Shaggy Werewolf tried to pull the door open, but it wouldn't budge. "Like, aw man, of all the werewolves in the world, I had to be the one without super-strength!" he kept pounding on the door, trying to break it down. "Man, if only I had Tin-Pugs' axe!"

*THUD!*

Tin-Pugs and Scarecrow Flip dropped in just then, landing behind him. The werewolf turned around, surprised. "Like, wow, great timing, guys!" he exclaimed. "Holly's in there- we gotta axe open the door!"

"Step aside- I've been wanting to choppify something all day!" Tin-Pugs replied, then swung his axe, chopping a hole in the door, and they all ran in…

Freezing in their steps when they saw a large, fire-breathing dragon across the room! The monster roared, swiping at them, causing them to stagger back. "I don't remember this in the original story!" the Shaggy Werewolf yelped.

"Of all the times the writer's had to feel original!" Tin-Pugs stammered.

"Quick! Holly!" Scarecrow Flip shouted, as they ran over to Holly. Tin-Pugs used his axe to break her chains.

"Quick, lets get out of here!" the Shaggy Werewolf cried, and they ran to the door.

The dragon broke loose, however, and stepped in front of them. It breathed fire at Scarecrow Flip, causing him to scream and fall into a corner. It smacked Tin-Pugs across the room, causing his body to dent, next! Then it leaned in close to Holly, who held the little dog close as it growled at the beast.

"Hey! Like, leave her alone man!" the Shaggy Werewolf snapped. The beast turned his eyes on him, glaring deeply. The werewolf paled a bit, then got an idea. "Um, would you leave her alone for a Dragon Snack?" he then took out a box of dragon-treats.

The dragon paused, then began panting like a dog, wagging its tail.

"Alright, boy, fetch!" The werewolf threw the dragon-treats across the room, and the monster ran after them giddily. He then ran out of the room with the others, all of them exiting the dungeon.

"Where'd you get the dragon-treats?" Tin-Pugs questioned.

"When you're as cowardly as I am, you need to be prepared for ANY situation," the werewolf then ate a couple treats. "Besides, on an empty stomach, they're not that bad!"

"C'mon, lets get out of this castle!" Holly said.

"But, what about the wicked witch? We still need to… you know…" Scarecrow Flip reminded her, making a throat-slitting motion across his neck.

"What are we supposed to do?! We don't know how to stop that psycho!" Tin-Pugs replied.

Holly thought for a moment, then developed an idea. "Hang on, there IS something," she said to them. "We just need to find water- Robotnik is terrified of it for some reason!"

"Lets find some water, then!" Scarecrow Flip exclaimed.

They ran down the hall, finding a kitchen. They tried to turn on the sink, but nothing came out. "Dang it, not a drop!" Tin-Pugs replied.

The Shaggy Werewolf opened up the fridge. "Like, he doesn't even have ice in the freezer!" he said… then grabbed a sandwich out of there and scarfed it down.

"Oh no… I forgot, Robotnik said there wasn't any water in the castle!" Holly remembered.

"Great, what are we supposed to do, have it delivered?" Tin-Pugs scoffed.

*tap tap tap*

He turned to the window upon hearing the tapping sound, opening it curiously. Zippy popped up, holding a bucket of water. "Deux Ex Machina Delivery Service! Someone here order a quick solution?" she asked.

Tin-Pugs gave a deadpanned expression to the audience. "No comment." He muttered, as Zippy handed them the bucket of water, then left.

"Now lets find the witch!" Scarecrow Flip exclaimed.

"WARLOCK!" came a bellow, as Robotnik appeared, accompanied by his lackeys who managed to get a second wind. "You fools, you think you can defeat me so easily?!"

"Like, watch it man! We've got water!" the Shaggy Werewolf warned, holding up the bucket of water.

"Yoink!" Grounder exclaimed, popping up and swiping it from him.

Robotnik stepped forth. "It's the end of the line for you, and your little friends too!" he cackled.

The little dog snarled and ran up, snapping at his heels!

"Gah! Back off, you little mutt! Call off the dog!"

"We would… but we don't know what to call him!" Scarecrow Flip replied, then smirked. "Although, some cold water might stun him long enough for you to get away!"

"Don't worry, boss! We're on it!" Grounder exclaimed, then threw the bucket of water at Robotnik!

*THONK!*

Literately, the WHOLE bucket. It stuck on his head, dousing him with water as it did. "GAH! YOU FOOLS! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" he shouted.

Everyone watched as the water caused the Wicked Warlock of the West to melt!

…Well, actually, just his outfit. The villain now stood there clad in his undies. "Argh! You twats! You KNOW my whole wardrobe is made with easily-dissolving material!" he face-palmed. "Could it get ANY worse?!

Tin-Pugs looked, grinning as he saw a random torch on the wall. "Survey says… YES!" he exclaimed, yanking it down.

A trap-door opened underneath Robotnik, causing him to fall through… right in front of the dragon, who looked at him hungrily. "…eep…" he yelped, then shot out of the dungeon, being pursued by the dragon. "GAH! DOWN! DOWN, YOU BLASTED REPTILE!"

"Well, that takes care of him!" Tin-Pugs said, as they watched the dragon chase after the villain into the distance, never to be seen again.

"But… we didn't kill him." Scarecrow Flip noted.

"The dragon will take care of that… besides, this is a kid's show!" the Shaggy werewolf said.

"What should we do, Jasper?" Horace asked.

"Well… the boss will be on the run for a while, so we might as well take a vacation!" Jasper replied, happily.

"Before you go, can we have Robotnik's vacuum?" Holly asked.

"Sure! We won't be using it anytime soon," Scratch replied, handing her the vacuum, and the lackeys flew off to get some well-deserved time-off.

"Next stop, the Sapphire City!" Scarecrow Flip exclaimed.

d~b

Once word was spread that Robotnik was out of commission, our heroes were immediately escorted to the Wizard's chambers. "So, you've defeated the wicked witch, eh?" he noticed.

"Yes sir, and it would mean a lot if you could grant our favors now," Holly replied.

"Um… I would, but I'm booked solid, today. Come back, say, next week. By then I should-"

"LIKE HOLD IT ONE MINUTE, MAN!" the Shaggy Werewolf snarled, storming up to the shadowed figure. "We just went through a traumatizing tour of a castle, nearly got eaten by a dragon, and had to deal with easy-given solutions born from the product of lazy writing, just to do what you said! Now it's YOUR turn to hold up your end of the deal!"

"Yeah, he's right!" Scarecrow Flip snapped. "You promised us you would help! You can't just post-pone it!"

"What kind of lousy wizard are you, making promises but not keeping them? I'm not even that careless!" Tin-Pugs snapped.

"You said that you'd give my friends what they needed, and help me get home! You'd better-" Holly began to complain.

"SILENCE! The wizard has spoken, and if you dare defy my words, you shall face dire consequences! You all shall leave now, otherwise no one's-"

"Why is it so dark in here?" asked a voice. Everyone looked over, seeing a figure by a light-switch… clicking it on!

The 'wizard' gasped, shielding his eyes. "Confound it, kill the lights!" came a familiar voice… and Holly noticed that the 'wizard' was really Shawn K.! "It's too bright in here!"

"Shawn… what are you doing?" asked the stranger… who was the masked figure Holly had been seeing.

"You! What… what are you doing here?" Holly gasped.

"Oh, I'm the Wizard of Odd- though everyone refers to me as the 'Black Alchemist'. I was out on a coffee-run for my friend, Shawn, here."

"Took you long enough," Shawn mumbled.

The Black Alchemist rolled his eyes. "You'll have to pardon his cranky behavior. We've been out of coffee for the past week and a half," he handed Shawn a cup of coffee.

Shawn sipped it… and suddenly in a flash, his moody demeanor was replaced by an optimistic attitude. "Ah, that's better!"

"Wait wait wait wait, WAIT!" Scarecrow Flip cried out. "You mean we just went through ALL THAT, and you're not even the real wizard?! Then how were you going to grant us our favors?!"

Shawn shrugged. "Why should I give you guys something you already have?"

"Like, what do you mean?" the Shaggy Werewolf questioned.

"Oh, c'mon, you guys should have figured this was coming up. Shaggy, you claim to be a coward- hiding out in the woods all that time, afraid of your own shadow… But it took real courage to stand by your friends, and help them out of a situation!" Shawn then turned to Tin-Pugs. "And you, my tin-based friend, claim to be heartless- even others dub you as such! But it takes a lot of heart to stand up for someone you care about, no matter what," Finally, he turned to Scarecrow Flip. "And you, kid… well, if you didn't have a brain, you wouldn't have figured out any ideas that you've come up with during your journey!"

"Hey… he's right!" Holly realized. "You guys had what you needed all along, and didn't know it!"

"Wow… what a cheesy realization- but I'll take it," Tin-Pugs said with a shrug.

"But, what about Holly? How's she going to get home?" Scarecrow Flip asked.

"Oh, she's been home all along," the Black Alchemist replied, rubbing Holly on the head. "She just needs to open her eyes and see it. Go on, Holly, open your eyes… open your eyes…"

d~b

"Open your eyes, Holly… please, wake up…"

Holly groaned, opening her eyes… seeing she was in her room, all her friends surrounding her. "Huh? What happened? Where's the wizard, and the Black Alchemist, and… and…" she gasped.

"Whoa, take it easy, Holly!" Pugsy said, patting her shoulder. "You had a nasty experience out there,"

"Pugs? You're not made of tin anymore… and Shaggy's not a werewolf… and Flip isn't stuffed with straw… and Zippy, you're not dressed like an elf or pirate!"

"Gosh, Holly must've hit her head harder than we thought," Zippy commented.

"Relax, Holly, it was all a dream," Melody said to her.

"You got caught in that tornado- it made that playhouse roll across the yard and smash in to the side of the building! We found you inside it once the storm cleared," Shawn K. said.

"And we found this little guy with you," Shaggy added, holding up the little Pomeranian.

"Aw, he's so cute!" Zippy exclaimed, hugging the little dog.

Holly smiled, glad to see the dog was alive… but remembered something. "Yeah… but I can't keep him, not with Katrina running the place," she said, then looked at Zippy. "Would you like him, Zippy?"

Zippy gasped, her eyes getting all bubbly. "Really? You mean it?!"

"Sure- he's a tough, aggressive, yet fun-loving little dog… I think you two would go great together,"

"Oh, Holly, thanks!" Zippy hugged the little dog. "I think I'll call him… Rickshaw MacFluffin!"

Holly giggled. Well, at least he has a name now, she thought.

"So… what exactly was this dream of yours about?" Flip asked her, curiously.

Holly shook her head. "It was crazy," she looked up at her bookshelf. "I dreamt we all did a parody of the Wizard of Oz!"

"Must've been an effect from that twister," Uncle Ted guessed, taking the book off the shelf and flipping through it. "Heh heh, I remember being obsessed with the movie as a kid! I always cried at the ending too,"

"My grandpa used to read me the book all the time too. It was our favorite-" Holly paused, seeing something sticking between the pages of the book. "Uncle Ted? Can I see the book real quick?"

"Sure, here you go, sweetie." Uncle Ted handed her the book, and she quickly flipped through it.

There was something hidden in the book… and Holly's eyes widened once she found it.

"No. Way." She gasped.

d~b

"NOOOO! YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" Katrina screamed the next morning.

Melody and Holly stood present with a lawyer… who was holding a will, written up by Holly's grandfather. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Stoneheart, but this indeed is an updated version of your great-grandfather's will. It states that Holly and her parent/guardian will have ownership of Trueblood Plaza, until she is 18 and can gain sole possession. However, it claims you will have an inheritance of $2000," the lawyer stated.

"But-but-but… I'M Holly's guardian! I'm her step-mother!"

"Mm, not from what my records show. It appears you disowned her, and Melody gained custody. I'm sorry, Mrs. Stoneheart, but you have no ownership. …Also, we received word that you hired an unlicensed, underage employee as a building inspector,"

Brattina flinched, casually inching away.

"No! It's not fair!" Katrina shouted, throwing a tantrum as she stormed outside. "Ooh, I'll get that apartment back in my possession somehow! One day… just one day-!"

*Crash!*

A tree fell on top of her just then. "…ouch,"

Melody and Holly, meanwhile, giggled in delight. "So, 'manager', what's going to be your first rule for this place?" Melody asked.

"That's easy to figure out- all pets are welcome!" Holly exclaimed. She walked outside, smiling at a bright new day, and a new start on her life.

And as if to emphasize what a glorious new beginning it was for her, a rainbow appeared in the sky.

She smiled warmly. "There's no place like home,"

d~b

A/N: Sorry for the rushed ending and too many 'deux ex machina' moments, but I hope you all enjoyed. Also, yes, I did borrow a little idea from "A Cinderella Story". …I could only keep it 'original' for so long.

Next episode… we celebrate the spirit of Halloween ;)