Disclaimer, you know.

Wednesday day two of the ride. Dorothy found herself stretching a lot. Though she still felt quite stiff from the close quarters. She was glad when she heard the conductor walk by and shout.

"California station, estimated time of arrival two hours!" he said.

"thanks." Dorothy said tilting her neck to her side causing it to emit a cracking sound.

"that sounded painful." Joe said looking in.

"not really, I'm rather stiff." Dorothy said.

"Well, at least we're almost there, still early morning, we should make it by lunch." He replied.

"that's good, why don't you come in, my pets and I could sure use the company." Dorothy said.

"I should really stay with my uncle, but thank you for the offer." He replied.

"well, I'll see you around." Dorothy said.

"I'm sure." Joe replied before walking away.

Dorothy sighed and got up. Stretching again she wished the train had better sleeping quarters. But some place to sleep was better than no place. Looking out the window she saw sunny sky. It brightened her mood a bit.

"So, almost there, and a new part of life begins." Toto said.

"yep." Dorothy replied.

"I can't wait to meet some new people." Pockets said.

"you two will still have to stay close to me, understand?" dorothy asked

They both made a nodding motion. Dorothy smiled and gave them both some more treats.

Meanwhile in Oz.

"So, she's nearly there." Glinda said looking up from the crystal ball.

"Oh good, hopefully the first thing she does is find a pay phone." Madeline said looking up from a hat she was making.

"What do you think of Alex's plan by the way?" Glinda asked.

"It's irresponsible, I love it." Madeline replied.

"I had a feeling you might say that, is Ozma still in her room?" Glinda asked.

"yes, as far as I know, unless she snuck out." Madeline said.

"Are you two talking about me?" Ozma asked walking in while unwrapping a caramel.

"I thought you'd still be in your room worrying about whether or not dorothy would get to her aunt's brother's place safely." Glinda said.

"oh, I was, but it's been nearly three days, and if she's still safe, then I don't need to worry." Ozma replied popping the candy in her mouth.

"Ozma, you really shouldn't eat all those caramels, I know Brianna makes good candy, but that's not healthy." Glinda said.

"but it tastes so good." Ozma complained.

"I feel like you missed the point." Glinda said.

"No! I understand completely, but I'm allowed to be of my own opinion." Ozma said.

"I guess you're right on that, but still, I had a cavity once when I was around your age, not fun." Glinda said.

"but you didn't have magic at the time I assume?" Madeline asked.

"Well, no, but magic is not the answer to every little problem, dorothy makes that loud and clear." Glinda said.

"Speaking of dorothy, I should let alex into her room so that he can grab the scepter." Madeline said.

"Would dorothy allow that?" Glinda immediately asked.

"Glinda, she's been thinking it since I appeared on the train." Madeline said.

"Oh, and I need to mention that, just because you can appear where ever she is in the blink of an eye, doesn't mean you should, I don't care if you share her thoughts and all, she deserves her own privacy." Glinda said.

"Glinda, seeing as her brain and my brain are connected, and if I can manage to make the connection two way like yours and Ellie's there will be no secrets." Madeline said.

Glinda sighed and rolled her eyes. Waving her hand over the crystal ball it immediately changed to an image of alex, who was sitting at a table, drumming with some pencils.

"Well he's got a good rhythm going." Ozma said.

"but what are you guys going to play?" Glinda asked turning to Madeline.

"Magical instruments of course." Madeline said.

Glinda rolled her eyes again and sighed. Madeline giggled and went back to her work.

Meanwhile in Kansas.

Alex had been drumming most of the morning, until he was thrown out of the library for being a distraction. So, he was now in his uncle's office.

"you know, I don't blame you for keeping yourself amused, but seriously, one day, can you go one day without doing something that could be considered bad?" Mr. Alistair asked.

"Sorry uncle." Alex replied.

"Alex, I know you miss her, and the entire town seems to be feeling her absence." Mr. Alistair said.

He wasn't wrong. The town seemed a lot less active without dorothy around. Everyone knew she had left for California, and everyone seemed a little more depressed than usual without her there to brighten the mood. People were used to her disappearing but normally she'd appear again after a few days. This time everyone knew where she was, and they knew it would be a while before she was back. However, both of them were snapped out of the thoughts by the sound of someone sipping loudly on tea.

"Madeline, could we get at least a hello from you? You know, instead of you dropping in uninvited?" Alex asked turning around to face her.

"Nope." Madeline said.

"Miss hatter." Mr. Alistair said.

"Please, call me Madeline." Madeline replied.

"anyways, what are you doing here?" Alex asked.

"asking what instrument, you would prefer." Madeline stated.

"Well the drums." Alex said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"figured, Morris is doing guitar, as is Jon, who is also doing keyboard if need be." Madeline said.

"you guys already have this all figured out?" Mr. Alistair asked.

"yep." Madeline replied.

"well at least Madeline has a plan, hey what's jack playing?" Alex asked.

"he, like me, is singing, as will you when the time comes." Madeline said.

"But won't that give us away completely?" Alex asked.

"Magical disguises will help, don't worry, you'll get it when it comes time." Madeline said.

"I hope so." Alex said sighing.

"Well anyway, I have good news." Madeline said.

"and that is?" Alex asked.

"She'll be arriving soon." Madeline said vanishing.

Alex shook her head and sighed.

"You know, I really hate her some times." Alex said.

"she kind of gives me the creeps." Mr. Alistair said.

Meanwhile back on the train.

Eventually dorothy felt the train coming to a stop. She immediately began gathering her things. picking up her suit cases and the carrier just as the train came to a complete halt. She felt the slippers emitting magic in the box they were in. it was as if they wanted to be on her feet. As she stepped off the train she immediately ran into joe again.

"Oh, Dorothy, Care for some help?" Joe asked.

"No, no thank you, I can manage." Dorothy replied.

"Alright, oh, there's Loretta, and she brought, my other friend, oh bother, what's he doing here?" Joe asked looking at horse drawn cart.

"Why does he have a horse and buggy?" Dorothy asked.

"His family does a cabby service, they also do weddings and funerals since it's such a small town that they live in, you could walk across the entire place in about 20 or 30 minutes if the weather is good and there isn't a funeral or wedding going on" Joe said as Lorretta came over.

Lorretta was a girl who definitely wasn't more than a year older than dorothy. She had raven black hair, and tanned skin. She was wearing a baby blue and green striped dress. She looked at dorothy and joe and smiled.

"so, joe, find another sweetheart?" she asked giggling.

"No Loretta, are you dating him now?" Joe asked.

"Actually, Zeb is waiting for someone as well." Lorretta said.

"He looks like he's dozing, wait a minute, did you say zeb?" dorothy asked.

"Yes, that's Zeb Hugson, his father, and aunt and uncle run one of the most successful ranches in California." Joe said.

"actually, both his father and uncle were injured in an accident, he's waiting for his cousin, and, wait where are you going?" Lorretta asked.

Dorothy walked up to Zep and set her suit cases on the cart rather loudly causing zeb to jump.

"Oh, what, hey, wait, what? Oh, you must be dorothy, wow, you do look like your mother." He said.

"Thanks, I get that a lot." Dorothy said letting toto and pockets out of the carrier.

"My dad showed me a few pictures of your parents, your aunt, and their friends." Zeb said.

"So, this is your cousin, you didn't tell me your cousin was a girl." Lorretta said.

"She's a distant cousin, from my dad's side, my uncle's sister is her aunt." Zeb replied.

"blood related only through my little cousins" Dorothy said.

"anyways, we should get going, I drove Lorretta here, Joe, where's your uncle?" Zeb.

"Getting his and my stuff, there he is." Joe said.

"Oh, Zeb, oh, hello miss." He said walking up to them.

"Conductor." Lorretta said.

"Ms. Martin." He replied.

"well, is it off to the ranch right away?" Joe asked.

"no, it's Lorretta's place first then the ranch, its only courtesy." Zeb said.

Now Zeb was a dark-haired boy, he was around the same age as dorothy. He was wearing a pair of blue jean overalls and a white shirt. On his feet were work boots that were a little worn, but completely serviceable. She set her pets on the cart and climbed onto it, she looked at Joe and Lorretta she then took Loretta's hand and helped her on to the cart.

"thanks." She said.

"don't mention it." Dorothy said and both toto and pockets climbed onto her lap.

"So, Zeb, I heard you're being homeschooled this year." Ed the conductor said.

"yes, I um, got kicked out for the year, for last year's prank." Zeb said.

"What did you do?" dorothy asked.

"What didn't he do is the better question." Loretta said giggling.

"on second thought, I changed my mind, I don't want to know." Dorothy said shaking her head.

"Oh, it was hilarious, wrong on many levels but hilarious." Lorretta said.

"I told you you'd get in trouble one day." Joe said climbing onto the cart, helping his uncle with the suit cases.

"So, who are these little fur balls?" Zeb asked.

"This is toto, and this pockets." Dorothy said.

"Funny names." Lorretta said.

"Miss martin, you have a kitten doll named Miss Sparkly-four-paws, I wouldn't judge." Ed the conductor said.

"Hey I gave her that doll." Joe said.

"I know." He replied.

"Okay, before we end up waiting here till the cows come home, let's go, auntie Melinda can't wait to finally see her niece." Zeb said.

"is she making another pie for the occasion?" Joe asked.

"She's made several, she wasn't sure if dorothy would have her mother's tastes." Zeb said.

"you're going to get home to a kitchen full of flour you know, that, right?" Lorretta asked.

"yes Loretta, tell me something else I don't know." Zeb said.

Without another word zeb clucked the reigns and they were off.