Disclaimer, the usual.

Alex and the beast spent any free time they had over the next three days, either getting details on things at home from Dorothy and the others. or under Madeline's directions, using the crystal ball to search throughout Oz and Kansas for the imps. This venture was met with no success, much to their chagrin. Eventually, after their rather strange lesson with the Professor, he found himself on the deck of the Gale, over looking the city. Both he and the beast agreed on the fact that it was a rather impressive airship. It was deceptively spacious on the inside, as if magic had been used to give it more room than it really needed, which of course had been the case. Between Alex and the beast, they both realized that it seemed incredibly common in that sense. All the rooms in the palace, at least the ones used regularly, were uncomfortably larger than what seemed physically possible. Then they realized these thoughts were incredibly irrational as they were easily explain away with magic.

"you think it would be a good idea to bring everyone onto The Gale?" Terrance asked as he and Alyssa came back onto the deck.

The two of them turned to look at the couple.

"don't really think so, I mean, yes they would be safe from the imps inside it, but that also blocks out the possibility of the imps having a change of heart and setting things right." Alex said sighing..

"Not to mention." The Beast added, "We cant do a thing about Ozma."

"that's true, we cant just leave her alone like that." Alyssa said sighing, "it was a nice thought though."

"so, how was your first lessons with the professor?" Terrance asked curiously, attempting to change the subject.

"it was strange, to say the least." Alex said becoming rather confused

"on one hand, it felt like we weren't learning anything, but on the other it seems we learned quite a lot." The beast added.

"Such is his way." Alyssa said smiling, "you'll get used to it."

"that's the other thing, what exactly is his way?" Alex asked curiously

"no one is terribly sure, all we know is that it works." Alyssa and Terrance said in unison.

"it's like, one minute he's going on a bit of a tangent and the next thing you know, you've suddenly got a history lesson bouncing round your head." The beast said.

"yep, he's always been like that, again no one is terribly sure as to why." Alyssa said sighing.

"the thing is, he seems to have changed a lot since I last saw him, he seemed, for lack of a better term, older." Alex said, "I know aging is a choice here in Oz, but he seemed older, more run down."

"Perhaps he did age, as you said, here it's a choice." Terrance said shrugging.

"the point we're trying to get at, is that its just strange, because he's changed quite a bit." The beast said

The scepter, for once, pinged in agreement at this statement.

"he looked, well for lack of a better term." Alex said looking to the beast

"he looked rather spent." They both eventually said.

Alyssa and Terrance looked at each other, this was a first or them. The professor always seemed unaccountably energetic. Were he choosing to age, and if he was suffering from it as a result, then the implications were frightening at worst and interesting at their best. However their minds were snapped out of their thoughts by the sounds of someone landing on the deck with a rather loud thud. Looking around they found, it was Ellie. Now face down on the deck.

"still a issue on height?" Alyssa asked curiously.

"what gave it away?" Ellie asked with a sigh, getting to her feet.

This had been the first time Ellie had been on the deck of the air ship. She looked around and then walked over to a railing and looked over the edge, immediately she felt rather queasy and backed up. The view was phenomenal, she just wasn't fond of it. She turned to Alex and the beast and looked them both over.

"I assume you have a reason to have disobeyed your orders to stay put?" Alyssa asked curiously.

"because Zinnia asked it, at glinda's request, why she couldn't just bring me to Oz herself though is what gets me." Ellie said sighing.

"I believe at this moment, she is assisting your sister, Elphaba, and Nessarose in looking through her things still, for at least a temporary solution to her transformation, but did she give a reason as to why you are needed?" Alyssa asked curiously, "with the Imps still about we can't afford too many risks." Alyssa said,

"it's why I'm wearing this." Ellie said referring to the gold and emerald medallion around her neck, "the protection of this charm is good for one person at a time."

"yes, Glinda gave that to you for your last birthday, didn't she?" Terrance asked curiously,

"She gave me something similar, I honestly cant remember when exactly she gave me this." Ellie said running her hand over it,

"Sorry to cut in." The beast said with a bit of a growl, "but its occurred to me you both should be at attention right now." He added.

"whys that?" Alyssa, Terrance, And Ellie all asked in unison.

"because, with her sister, basically indisposed at the moment and queen Ozma trapped in her own room." The beast said looking at them, "Ellie is for all intents and purposes, the one in charge."

The three of them looked at each other for a moment, Though they technically now marched under the banner of the emerald city, Both Ozma and Glinda were as the beast said, indisposed for the time being. Ellie was once again, the one in charge. Though there was a serious counter argument that all three of them were able to make. And that was the argument that as Prince Regent alongside Dorothy, Alex was technically in charge.

"That would be all well and good, you two." Ellie said smiling rather teasingly at them, "but as it stands technically the chain of command puts you and Dorothy above me, as she is Princess Regent and as a result, you are Prince Regent, which puts the both of you quite a few links above me." Ellie said standing at attention and saluting.

This argument had been brought up to them before, they couldn't deny that. As Dorothy was Queen Ozma's second in command, and per official status, a Princess of Oz, he had been officially named her prince. By official status, both halves were wielding quite a bit of political power, but neither Alex, nor the beast shared much in the way of ambition to use it.

"At ease, soldier." Alex eventually said, "it kind of bothers me to say this, in a good way, that you're right, all things considered, both the beast and I are the ones in charge."

"right." Ellie said with a giggle, "oh, how'd the lessons go?" she added curiously

"With the professor?" Both Alex and the beast asked in unison.

"are there any other teachers that frequently come to the palace?" Ellie asked curiously

"Fair enough, anyways, it was rather Bizarre, we were actually discussing that before you turned up." Alex said sighing, with Ellie's arrival more important matters had come to their minds, "Any improvements with Annabella?"

back in Kansas

in Kansas, Annabella was still in a huff. Really only interacting with Dorothy, Eliza, and her parents, with Dorothy acting as translator the entire time. Dorothy for her part, was exhausted, the constant changing had mostly kept her awake. At this moment however, Dorothy was dozing in a chair in cat form. To be more accurate, with the big exception of Mr. and Mrs. Gale, and the triplets. Almost every person in the house seemed to be dozing. Annabella had scurried off, and was now wandering the house. Toto and pockets were following at a decent behind her, to ensure she didn't get into any trouble.

"You would think she would at least try to talk to us." Pockets said sighing.

"I don't know if she can understand us." Toto replied, "we can understand everyone else just as well as Dorothy can, but we haven't really established if they can understand us, if any of them can, they never mention it."

Annabella however, hadn't actually thought about the fact that she should understand Toto or pockets. She could hear them whispering behind her, she knew there were there. But over the past couple of days, she never really thought about it. Still annoyed at having to adjust to the physique of being a wolf pup, she hadn't been particularly social. She eventually found her way to a small office where Jon had retired himself to, he was seated on the floor with a book leaned open against a chair. He had been reading until he became aware of Annabella's presence.

"Oh, Annabella, what are you doing here?" Jon asked curiously.

Annabella said nothing, she simply walked over to him, Toto and Pockets walking in behind her.

"ah, I see" He said glancing around "I assume that no one else knows you three happen to be wandering unattended?"

Annabella's face drooped at this.

"Annabella, I know you don't like being in that body, I'll tell you, I'm not particularly fond of being a badger myself, but you can't wander around without a proper chaperone right now, there's too much that can go wrong." Jon said getting up from his book and walking over to her.

"With all do respect sir." Toto said testing the water a bit, "we've been following her this whole time, she went straight from the parlor to here." He added.

"Thank you, Toto, but that isn't the same, you and Pockets are in just as much danger as she would be if anything were to happen." He said

"okay so you can understand us?" Toto asked curiously.

"Just as well, which is odd as on the whole, Dorothy couldn't understand you until she wished for it." Jon said thinking on that for a moment, "None of us have really been sure you guys could understand us." He added.

"Which is also just as well, as we've been wondering vise-versa." Pockets said purring

Toto walked around Annabella and sat down in front of her, giving her an almost sympathetic look. As if trying to guilt her into talking.

"Hey Jon, do you mind if I…" came Aislynn's voice as she flitted into the room, and noticed Annabella, "oh, Annabella, what are you doing in here?"

"sulking" Pockets said sighing.

"thank you, Pockets, I assume Dorothy and your parents aren't aware you're wandering around unattended, and Toto I want no arguments." Aislynn said

Both Annabella and Toto's faces drooped at this point. Aislynn let out a long cooing sound.

"You guys really shouldn't be wandering the manor on your own, really none of us should without a chaperone." Aislynn said,

"but you can fly, we certainly can't." Pockets said,

"Makes no difference, say I got distracted and flew into something." She replied landing herself on the floor next to Jon, "without someone who isn't transformed like we are, we are completely helpless in a lot of respects."

"I mean, Toto is a very clever dog." Jon said turning to Aislynn,

"And pockets are a really clever cat, but that isn't going to help anyone if they get stuck under something." Aislynn replied sternly

The three of them shrunk back at this remark, rather shame faced.

"Annabella!?" came Dorothy's voice from the hall,

Annabella let out a long whimper then turned and walked over to the door. Letting out a long sad howl. A few moments later Dorothy poked her head into the room.

"So here you are, you little scamp." Dorothy said picking her up, "you three shouldn't have wandered off."

"Dorothy, don't be too hard on her." Came Alex's voice from a mirror on the desk, "actually can you place her up here."

Dorothy turned to the desk, nodding. She brought Annabella over to it and set her down in front of mirror. She immediately whimpered and placed a paw on it.

"we've been watching you guys." Came the voice of the beast.

"I assume after Ellie arrived?" Aislynn asked curiously

"What?" Dorothy asked curiously,

"Yes, Glinda asked Ellie to come to the city, so that she could discuss something with her and they could look for at least a temporary solution to the problem, between herself and her sister they do have quite a large number of magical objects." Alex said sighing.

"I wasn't even aware she left." Dorothy said sounding rather annoyed.

"she found you trying to doze and decided it was best to not disturb you." Alex said sighing, "Get a good nap in?" he asked curiously

"not really." Dorothy said shaking her head sadly.

"Well all the animals in the room right now, have established that they can all understand each other." The beast said

Annabella let out a long, sad whimper.

"I don't like this shape, I'm not particularly useful to anyone like this." Annabella said sighing.

"Annabella, you aren't alone in that respect, none of us are entirely thrilled in with the situation." Alex said, "but three days is an awful long time to be pouty about it."

"Well, you two got lucky, the Imps couldn't really touch you, at least not in the way they were able to deal with us." Aislynn said fluttering up to the desk.

"They didn't dare try to transform Ozma, Alyssa and Terrance got lucky, Elphaba and Nessa have a sort of protection that they aren't explaining, the only one not really accounted for is Polly, since we aren't entirely sure if it was a case of they couldn't touch her, or they wouldn't touch her." The beast said, "the problem is, the way the Imps have set things, it put us in a rather rock and a hard place situation as Ellie was just explaining."

"How so?" Jon asked curiously.

"Well, Glinda is stuck in a form that currently cannot perform magic, or any of her duties for that matter, which puts Ellie in charge of her domain again." Alex started.

"and Ozma is presently stuck in her bedroom, leaving her unable to do her duties." The beast continued

"And you're Princess Regent." Alex said, "which per extension, has us as Prince Regent."

"Which puts you two for all intents and purposes…OOOHHH." Aislynn said as the penny dropped, "that is a rock and a hard place situation, at least as far as the beast is concerned."

"Right, both of us, for all intents and purposes, are in charge for the duration of the crisis, or until we can find a way to breach the barrier around Ozma and get her out." They said in unison.

Annabella couldn't help but let out a rather awkward sounding giggle at this point.

"what's so funny?" Dorothy asked curiously

"We're leaders, just not of the political variety in any respect." Alex and the beast said in unison.

"I mean, it can't be easy having the entire land of Oz at your command, even scarecrow used to find it tedious." Aislynn said firmly.

"They're better suited as generals or captains than as a king." Annabella said staring her brother in the eyes,

"but ace did bring a little advice to the table, you could always ask scarecrow, or even lion for advice." Jon said.

"We have been, even been consulting China princess and Marshall mallow at times." The beast said,

"remind us, as I'm sure we are all rather fuzzy on the subject, what were they transformed into?" Pockets asked jumping up onto the table,

"a matching set of porcelain lambs, essentially bookends." The beast said causing Alex to turn and glare at him,

"would you stop saying that?" Alex asked both curiously and rather sternly.

"I shall endeavor to restrain myself." The beast replied.

"well endeavor harder to keep thoughts like that restrained." Alex said sternly

"yes sir." He replied rather grumpily.

"Annabella!? Dorothy!?" came the voice of Mrs. Teak.

"In here!" Dorothy called.

Within moments Mrs. Teak was in the room, sighing in relief.

"oh, here you all are, I was worried for a moment, no one was in the parlor so I got worried." She said.

"She decided to do a little exploring on her own mom." Alex said sighing, "we're kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place in general"

"anything new in Oz?" Mrs. teak asked curiously,

"Nothing particularly productive, Ellie is here, helping Glinda search for some kind of temporary solution for the problem, honestly it's been three days with no luck so we honestly feel it's a bit of a lost cause, but Ellie also has to act in Glinda's place." Alex said sighing.

"I wasn't aware that she had left." Mrs. Teak said walking over to the desk and scratching her daughter behind the ears."

"she decided to be discrete about it, but for all intents and purposes I can technically order her back there at any point" Alex said sighing.

"How so? Surely Ellie's authority overrules your authority." Mrs. teak said arching an eyebrow.

"not so, we were just discussing the point." The beast said

"Alex and I are acting *hic* regents." Dorothy said beginning to hiccup.

Within moments she was in the form of a cat again, she jumped her way up to the desk and sat next to Annabella.

"I had genuinely forgotten about that." Mrs. teak replied with a giggle, "nothing really happens that puts you two in that position, at least not without putting us either on the run in Oz or in between a rather large rock and a hard place."

"exactly." Alex and the beast replied in unison,

"They have been responsible with it though, asking Scarecrow, Lion, China Princess, and Marshall Mallow for advice" Dorothy said sighing.

"Well, at least you two have some idea of what you're doing." Mrs. Teak said smiling.

"But it honestly helps with nothing, we're all still stuck in our current situation." Both of them replied in unison,

"Well, it really can't be helped at this point." Mrs. teak said sighing, "what was Annabella doing anyways?" she added turning her attention to Dorothy now.

"Sulking for the most part, I think." Dorothy replied

"She still doesn't like that form, but it isn't that bad being a wolf." Alex said trying to sound reassuring, "inconvenient, oh yes most definitely but speaking from experience I can say it's not that bad."

"yes, but you were a giant wolf, larger than any I had ever seen." Dorothy said sighing.

"There's a phrase to that effect though." Alex said smiling teasingly at her, "the bigger they are the harder they fall."

"and you both fell rather hard into the truth pond." Came Finley's voice as he flew into view and alighted on Alex's shoulder.

"anything to report Finley?" Alex asked curiously

"Nothing productive, no sign of the Imps, if they're in the vicinity, they are either invisible, or very good at keeping out of sight." He said sighing.

"Well, you did your best Finley, why don't you go check on Ozma and Polly, see if either of them need anything." The beast and Alex suggested in unison.

"What exactly is offering Ozma assistance going to accomplish?" Finley asked curiously.

"Not a lot, but you can join the rotation in keeping her company, which accomplishes more than just waiting around for the Imps to show themselves again." Alex said sighing.

Finley said nothing, he simply saluted and flew off.

"So, how long before the next rotation?" Dorothy asked curiously,

"At one We go back to Oza's room, we've not done much more than make idle chat, it's not much help but we aren't going to leave her alone." Alex said sighing.

"wait a tick, why didn't the scepter protect you two?" Mrs. teak asked curiously,

"once it started alarming us, they got frightened and did what the jester used to do, suppress its power." Alex said sighing, "before we could reach either it or for my sword, they had already started working the magic, the imps are powerful, but they are limited to an extent, being unable to change our form they simply separated us."

"That, it can be implied, probably has to do with the curse that you two for all intents and purposes are stuck under." Dorothy replied finding herself sitting on the desk in her natural shape again.

"Well let's take a moment to make another list." Alex said, "they couldn't transform the beast and myself, they wouldn't dare touch Ozma." Alex said counting the points off.

"They stuck Maddie and Me, in a sort of perpetual loop of swapping forms, for a bit of a laugh it seems." Dorothy said

"Alyssa and Terrance were in the airship, which the Imps couldn't penetrate due to its craftsmanship." The beast added.

"Ellie was kept safe by a medallion her sister had given her as well as her sword being next to her bed." Mrs. Teak said, "your father and I were left untouched, I guess so someone would be able to take care of Annabella, the same case with Mr. and Mrs. Bobbin."

"They either couldn't or wouldn't touch Polly." The beast added, "Elphaba and Nessarose have some protection, but they aren't explaining it."

"Trot was left alone for some reason, along with Cap'n bill." Dorothy said counting that off, "The Triplets are protected as well by something or someone, that's still rather up in the air, and they decided not to touch my aunt and uncle as a result." She added

"Finley was left untouched as well as we've seen" Mrs. teak added, "and I believe so was Wendell, but we already know he's under a transformation."

"And Zeb was untouched, at least in Ellie's opinion, because the Imps looked at him, and found him boring." Alex finished.

"but that still leaves a rather large number of our friends unaccounted for." Dorothy said firmly.

"Not so, it seems they targeted everyone who was in Oz with us before you all returned to Kansas, which knocked Donna, Kelly and Eliza out of the running, though Jon is an exception to this point as he left Oz weeks before we did." Alex said glancing down at him.

"that…is actually a fair point." Dorothy said, "Jon you are a rather unaccounted for variable in this equation" she added getting to her feet.

"the only logical explanation we've come up with, is that, they searched our minds for memories, that's how they found out about your connection with Madeline, and they found Jon somewhere in there, but the hole in that theory comes with the fact that they didn't go after Donna, Kelly, or Eliza." Alex said with a shrug

"which still leaves a lot unaccounted for." The beast cut in.

"yes, I think we've established that now." Alex said turning to him, "but if we keep discussing these points, we aren't going to learn much and it will get more redundant than it already is."

"your majesty, there's a couple of people here to see you." Came Alyssa's voice from the background.

"who are they?" Alex asked turning.

"they wouldn't say, but they did say that they are well acquainted with you and Dorothy, they seem harmless enough, no strange new levels of bizarre, they simply requested an audience." Came her reply.

"sounds like you're about to be occupied with something." Dorothy said sighing.

"news travels rather fast around here you know that, I'm just curious as to who would be calling." Alex said, before turning again, "ill head to the throne room in a moment, just ensure they're comfortable, the beast and I will be there momentarily."

"Yes sir." Came her response followed by the sound of her leaving.

"well, I guess we'll let you go and deal with that, please be careful." Mrs. teak said

"and have a little care and tact." Dorothy said sternly.

"Yes ma'am" came the beasts reply.

"look, we'll contact you guys later, it's best not to keep any acquaintances waiting, not during this crisis." Alex said placing a hand to meet where Annabella's paw was on the mirror.

"Good luck." Dorothy said sighing.

"thanks kitten." Alex said with a sigh, "Annabella, promise me you'll try to make the best of this situation for now?" he asked quickly

Annabella said nothing, she simply nodded. With that the image faded from the mirror. It was then that Annabella turned to look at Dorothy.

"Dorothy?" Annabella asked curiously

"yes Annabella?" Dorothy responded.

"can you bring me outside?" she asked curiously, "I'd like to do some running around and I could do with some fresh air."

"of course, Mrs. Teak care to join us outside for some fresh air?" Dorothy asked helping Annabella off the desk.

"any time you need me to." Mrs. teak replied with a smile.

"care if we join you?" Toto asked curiously.

"of course, you can Toto, c'mon" Dorothy said walking for the door.

"be careful." Jon and ace said in an odd unison.

"I'll do my best." Dorothy said with a giggle.

And with that, Dorothy and the others filed out of the room, leaving Jon and Aislynn alone.

"so…do you mind if I join your reading?" Aislynn asked finally finishing her thought.