Disclaimer…I don't think the usual is cuts it anymore, wouldn't you agree?
"I did what I believe needed to be done." Imp-Etuous said sighing and leaning against a wall.
"We, at least Elphie, Nessa, Lady Cassandra, myself and Madeline know the legends." Glinda said firmly,
"and I did something big, and ill just face the music on it now, irresponsible." The imp said, "this game was a giant stalemate, if we kept moving, they'd keep coming until I either did something, or you all gave up." She added.
"but if you really wanted to break the cycle then why do whatever it is you did?" Dorothy asked worriedly.
"because you guys were the first to not immediately treat me like just an advantage you could push, you used my help but didn't abuse it." The imp said, "you treated me as an ally and a friend"
"and you're still our friend, regardless of what it is you've done." Aislynn said as she walked over to her, "the game, I think, is finally over." She added.
"On the contrary Miss Diggs." Came a woman's voice
"Oh no" the imp said flinching.
"Her sister's game is over, but a new one is beginning." Came another.
This one caused Glinda to flinch.
"Imp-Etuous, What did you do!?" Both Glinda and Cassandra asked sternly.
"Broken a law of nature." Said both voices in unison.
"Mother nature and death respectively?" Alex asked curiously.
"yes." The imp said weakly.
"however." Came the voices as two women appeared in the area with them.
Immediately a chill ran down everyone's spine, even tin man, scarecrow, Marshall Mallow, and the china princess shivered. One woman a sort of salt and pepper color pattern for her hair, set in a neat style, wearing a crown of daisies, and wore a white robe. Her face was kind, but told you she was still rather cross. This one was mother nature. The other, had Blackish brown hair, tied up in a bun and hidden under and flat hat. Her eyes were a piercing blue color that seemed to see right into your soul, which they did. She Wore an entirely midnight purple ensemble, resembling the style that Madeline tended to enjoy, or at least had when Dorothy had first met her. It was old fashioned but looked serious enough to tell you the woman meant business. Her sharp facial features were at the same time soft, but very intimidating, under her arm seemed to be both a clipboard and a black parasol. This woman was death herself.
"I suppose its time?" The Imp asked stepping forward.
"Not quite dear." Mother Nature said,
"you broke free." Death said, her voice soft, but at the same time the words cutting deep, "but at a cost."
"we heard what you said, and took one thing into consideration" Mother Nature said pointing at the group, "your sisters' crimes outnumber that of your own, it is true, but you have broken a law of nature."
Immediately Dorothy found herself no longer covered in paint, to be more accurate she was now in an outfit that didn't suit her, it was too dressy and serious, like she was going to a funeral. The only thing it was missing was shoes, the slippers were on the floor in Madeline's room. She had no problem being barefoot, she never denied that, but she was dressed like this now for a reason and that became incredibly apparent once she found herself once more not where she had been.
It appeared to be inside a covered pavilion tent, Alex, Aislynn, Elphaba, Ozma and the Imp were with her. Ozma was now looking at herself in a mirror that was floating next to one of the walls. She was now in the outfit that she usually wore when attending to her duties as queen. Her hair was done up in a fashion that didn't suit her however. With her hair in some kind of pretzel-knot styled braid.
Elphaba was in her usual day wear, and Alex was in the suit he had worn the day of the incident in candy county. Aislynn on the other hand was wearing an outfit Dorothy felt she should recognize. A light purple dress, and matching socks and dress shoes. Aislynn was examining, running her hands along the fabric uneasily. She then looked around rather worriedly.
"The imp will be brought in, in a minute" Came Zinnia's voice as she came into the pavilion, "I wish your presence here was for a different reason." She said, her voice falling.
"And why are we here?" Dorothy asked, tightening her grasp around the scepter
"you, Aislynn, and Ms. Elphaba are to attend the Imp's trial." Zinnia said, "there are other tents, your friends are all here in the sanctuary, but you guys are an outlier."
"Why?" Alex asked reaching into his suit pocket and finding the gun.
"Alex, give me that thing." Elphaba said holding her hand out.
"its perfectly safe." Alex said.
"it's a gun" Dorothy said firmly.
"Kitten, think about what I said before I took it from my father." Alex said sighing, "you too ace."
"you said that only your father would have been stupid enough to carry a gun with bullets in it." Dorothy said.
"And I don't disagree." Aislynn added, "not to take away from what's going on, I don't feel secure with gun around."
"but you both got it wrong." Alex said smiling, "I said my father would be the only stupid enough to carry a gun with a bullet in it."
"and that gun only has one bullet?" Elphaba asked curiously.
"well, had, my dad isn't one for weaponry, only approves of my sword because I can't hurt anyone, I care about with it." Alex said pushing one the chamber and tipping out the casing, "his hand was way too steady for someone pointing a gun in the direction of not just an enemy, but his own children."
"clever." Dorothy said walking over to him
"Anyways, it seems Ozma and I are more the outliers here." Alex said putting the gun back into his coat pocket.
"Well, you yes, but Ozma, she's here to decide if we have more than one trial." Zinnia said, trailing off.
"What would be the cause of the other trial?" Aislynn asked curiously.
"oh, this is where you guys wound up." Came the voice of Jon Foreman as he stuck his head in, the imp following, "have they been made aware of what's happened?" he asked curiously.
"I was getting to it." Zinnia said looking at him, "who gave you permission to wander?" she added with a smile
"I did." Came Fayth's voice as she appeared in the tent, "he's got experience with both of them."
"What?" Everyone in the tent asked in unison.
"it does cause some problems, but those may have to wait." Jon said walking into the pavilion, he was wearing a tuxedo for some reason,
"only may?" Ozma asked curiously.
"yes, Only may." Came a rather weak, but familiar sound voice which caused Aislynn to stagger.
"no" she gasped out.
The Former Wizard of Oz stepped into view of the opening.
"Hello ace, Dorothy." He said nodding to them respectively.
"Grandfather!" Aislynn shouted running over to him and embracing him tightly.
Looking at Dorothy, one could see that she was outwardly shocked, but at the same time, she had a genuine smile on her face. Alex on the other hand looked rather appalled but at the same time, rather interested
"I see…" Ozma said trailing off and turning to the sisters, she smiled and shook her head.
"dropping the charges?' Fayth asked.
"There is absolutely no proof that the wizard did or had anything to do with my father's disappearance, I believe that Mombi was the mastermind behind that." Ozma said nodding, "I forgive the old wizard, whatever the charges are against me, I wish them to be dropped."
"And this is your opinion?" Elphaba asked, "not swayed by the fact that this is Aislynn's grandfather?" she added fingering the pearl necklace still around her neck.
"yes, we know, thanks to Glinda telling us, that the wizard knew of me, and something of my whereabouts, but was forced to keep his silence lest his secret be revealed." Ozma said.
Elphaba looked at the pearl on the necklace, it was still white.
"I wish to put those days behind me, I do not blame the wizard for acting the way he did, self-preservation is after all a base instinct."
"Nicely put." Zinnia said,
"it does not however solve the problem that someone who doesn't have permission to be alive, is so." Fayth said looking at the imp.
"it was a way out, not the best one, but still one." The imp said sidling over to a corner only to have Alex grab her by the shoulder and stop her, "I'm just glad I'm not in front of the council."
"keeping it in the family is a professional courtesy, but don't expect us to do you any favors." Benton said coming in, looking at Aislynn and her grandfather.
"no, something happened that convinced you all to keep it in the family." The imp said shaking her head, "never try to lie to a mind reader."
"and as the trial isn't over so we can't say what." Benton said, "I assume the charges against the man have been dropped." He said gesturing to Aislynn and the wizard.
Aislynn at this point finally released her grandfather, her face streaked with tears now. She had been crying, whether out of shock or happiness they weren't sure. Alex released the imp's shoulder and walked over to her, offering her a handkerchief from which he pulled from his pocket.
"Ms. Gale, you've been awfully quiet." Benton added looking at her.
Dorothy took in a deep breath, there was nothing that could prepare for this kind of a shock again. Her reaction was similar to Aislynn's to approach the man, and embrace him.
"She cares about you, just as much as your granddaughter." The imp said, seating herself on the ground.
"The outfits for you two, are similar to what you were first wearing when you last met him." Came Mother Nature's voice.
"and that's why it looks familiar." Dorothy said in a whisper.
"he was always in her head, memories that would float to the surface." The imp said sighing.
"because her grandfather encouraged her to be herself." Dorothy said sniffing, not looking up.
"are you…" Alex asked taking another handkerchief from his pocket, "are you crying?" he asked.
"it's happy crying, I assure you." The imp said before Dorothy could speak.
"is it?" Elphaba asked, "without seeing her face its rather hard to tell."
"yes, it is." The imp and Dorothy said, Dorothy's sounding a lot more choked up.
Elphaba looked at the large pearl again, it was still white. She knew it certainly would have turned murky if even one of them had been lying.
"we'll leave you guys alone for a bit while we get ready for the trial." Zinnia said quietly.
She, Fayth and Benton quietly vanished. Alex immediately turned his full attentions to the imp.
"what do you expect will happen?" he asked curiously as he grabbed the scepter.
"I don't know, but whatever happens, they let him in here for a reason." The imp said, "this could really influence their testimonies."
"Best way to do that would be emotionally." Ozma said turning to Alex, "but that would make them speak, in your favor." She added.
"which is the part that bothers me." The imp said, "I had rather hoped this trial would go on its own merits."
"you seem to have a pretty skewed view on things…" Elphaba said trailing off, "is it because it's a bitter victory?" she asked curiously.
"something like that" The imp weakly replied, "I didn't want to do what I did to my sisters, but at the same time, I wanted the freedom, but at the same time I wanted to help the people who showed me something of compassion, l know I sound like a broken record, but I have to face the consequence of this action." She added.
"I won't say that I disagree." The Wizard and Elphaba said in unison.
"Being dead grants you a lot of insight." Elphaba said nodding, "and one of those bits of insight, are rules, but I don't think now's the time to list them all."
"Quite." Alex said handing Dorothy the handkerchief.
Dorothy smiled and detached herself from the wizard. Wiping her eyes, she found herself smiling and giggling.
"I Don't believe we've met before." The Wizard said turning to Alex.
"Alex teak, and that." He said pointing to the mirror that Ozma had been looking in, "is my other personality." He said
Mr. Diggs looked at the reflection, at the beast staring back at him. His first instinct was to shudder.
"Well I've definitely got one of those faces." The reflection said grinning.
"Well, you are technically the result of a curse, and here to stay." Elphaba said nodding at it.
"if only to move the conversation, he's my boyfriend." Dorothy said taking his hand.
"and I'm her double." Madeline said appearing in the pavilion, causing everyone to jump.
She was just wearing one of her everyday outfits, and had Dorothy's satchel around her shoulder.
"Mads, was that really necessary?" Alex asked curiously.
"considering the emotions that just flooded my brain when this man came into the picture, yes, its quite a rush." She said sounding very bubbly before straightening up. "Madeline Madigan Hatter." She said curtseying.
"Charmed, I'm sure." The wizard said catching his breath, "does she, do that quite often?" he asked curiously.
"It's kinda her shtick." The imp said.
"Anyways, hatter, shouldn't you be ensuring Jack isn't doing any more slacking off?" Aislynn asked curiously.
"he just spent several weeks as a sloth, ill cut him some slack" Madeline said shrugging, "Anyways, its almost time for the trial to start." She said taking Dorothy's satchel off and handing it to her.
Dorothy took it and removed the slippers from it.
"are those, the ruby slippers?" the wizard asked curiously.
"they've changed a bit, I know." Dorothy said putting them on, and looking at the scepter, "you've been awfully quiet by the way."
The scepter let out a series of pings.
"well, usually you react to just about everything unless there's nothing to do." Dorothy said putting her satchel over her shoulder.
It let out another series of pings.
"well this is definitely something to do." Alex said shaking his head.
"I…think I'm lagging a little behind now." The Wizard said looking at Jon.
"you are old friend, quite a lot." Jon said with a chuckle, "don't worry once this is all sorted out, we'll bring you right up to speed."
It was at that moment that Zinnia decided to reappear. She was now in a ceremonial red robe.
"its time for the trial to begin, if you all would follow me." She said, "Ms. Diggs would you mind escorting the imp." She requested.
