Disclaimer, you know.
The group had quietly agreed to only share bits and pieces of their dreams with everyone else. Alex seemed to be the most reluctant to share any details, only that he finally had his own dreamscape to maintain along with the beast. Ellie had decided to take the early morning to have a long discussion with her sister, though what this discussion was about none of them knew.
Time would move on, and these things while not forgotten, went to the back of their minds. Polly was now steadier on her feet and found herself practicing and demonstrating fairy magic that none of them had ever seen before. They were amazed by it all.
Weeks would pass, months would pass. Dorothy had improved in carpentry skills with Alex's help. With the help of her aunt, Alex's Mother, Brianna, and Alex himself. She finally improved at baking. She had made several cookies and one cake by the end of the year. As the new year drew in and began to string along, their new normal of a persistent presence in Oz felt as though that was how it had always been. But there was something at the back of Dorothy's mind. Something else that seemed to nag at her. But she wasn't sure what. The scepter hadn't taken any time to turn back to her human shaped body, much to the relief of many. Though they had assumed that this would also become a new normal, a standing order.
"Hey Kitten, can you grab the day planner?" Alex called from the closet, "Should be on the work bench" he said
Dorothy found herself being snapped out of her thoughts, taking a moment to register this she got up from her bed and walked over to the work bench. In the upper right corner sat a large book. A mix between a calendar and a notebook. She picked it up and walked towards the closet with it. Flipping through it as she did so. She found birthdays of all their friends, a few wedding anniversaries written not in Alex's handwriting, but his mother's. on her birthday was drawn a rough approximation of a birthday cake. But even though the question still loomed in her mind, she didn't get the answer she had hoped for.
"Was wondering if you were going to try and use that as a hint." Alex said with a chuckle, "probably a good thing I didn't leave that at gale hall" he said descending a ladder his purple jacket tucked under his arm.
"I can't remember the last time I saw you wear that." Dorothy said handing him the day planner "why did you need this any way?" she asked curiously.
"No real reason in particular, I just really wanted to draw your attention to it." He said flipping through it, "you know despite the fact that they are no longer with us, my parents and your aunt and uncle still recognize and celebrate your parents wedding anniversary?" he asked pointing out the date.
"I noticed, and I can't say I'm too shocked." Dorothy said with a long sigh, "can't even say I'm shocked that they do it behind my back."
"Considering the fact that you're the only one who could get away with mentioning them without triggering a reaction." Madeline said appearing next to them and causing them to jump, "I'd say their reactions are pretty on par."
"Mads, would you…" alex stopped himself, catching his breath he sighed, "Ozma done with her royal duties for the day?" he asked diverting the subject.
Madeline nodded.
"And you couldn't just knock?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Do I ever?" Madeline asked with a giggle
Both dorothy and alex rolled their eyes at this. Then smiled. Alex set the day planner on a small table, and they left the closet together. Dorothy held out her hand for the scepter and immediately heard a voice in her head.
"Would you mind heading to the clearing to meditate?" it asked.
Dorothy immediately recognized it as the voice the scepter had used.
"Alex, you think Brianna would mind preparing and impromptu picnic so we could head to the clearing?" dorothy asked curiously, "Scepter asked if I wouldn't mind going there to meditate." She said.
"I mean, we haven't done that in a while, last time we were there that girl turned up, and showed us what existed beneath the surface." Alex said shrugging, "That said a picnic does sound nice."
"The clearing is always clear and always comfortable regardless of the temperature outside, bit cold out so id still wear a jacket." Madeline said taking her hat off and pulling a cup of tea from it.
"Did I hear someone mention how nice a picnic sounds?" Ozma asked coming into the room, a basket on her arm, "I know it's a bit chilly out, but that really doesn't matter with the clearing." Ozma said with a giggle.
At that moment, before anyone could say a thing, Glinda ran by, a piece of paper in hand and a notebook tucked under her arm.
She ran out of the palace and all the way to the prophets house. She knocked cordially on the door which opened. She held up the paper to him. He reached up and took it. Reading it over he looked at her curiously.
"Time then, for a new prophecy?" he said squinting at the paper making sure he read over it properly "Glinda, some of these reagents are in short supply and some I don't even have, but I will prepare the ritual and summon you when I have all the items required"
"Thank you, Tim." Glinda said nodding, "Given many things that have been happening in such short order my mind wandered to the Grimmerie, it flew from its shelf and."
"It opened to this specific recipe." He said in response to this.
Glinda nodded, her face betraying no emotion. But it was clear she was worried.
"Your past is going to catch up with you Glinda, your sister already addressed it with you as I recall, that gossip spread quite quickly that you two had another row."
Glinda took a minute before she spoke,"
"She knows that messing with her memories and time itself probably messed a few more things up too." Glinda said, "she still hardly knows the half of it."
"I'd suggest then, that you meditate on this, consider what you've done." He said in response, "Consider what's to come, and consider what you might learn."
"Consider that we are going to set something in stone…" Glinda started to say before finding herself being cut off by Tim.
"Consider that it was already set, time catches up with us all Glinda, I know that girl has been around, it has been months since her last appearance, even my magicks know nothing of her."
"They know everything of her, Tim, it's just not time for that information to be clear yet." Glinda said sighing.
"Yet you know more about her than anyone else it seems, your memories of her remain intact." Tim said pointedly.
"That was a curse bestowed by her, crafted by me and for me" Glinda said ashamedly, "a burden I force myself to bear, and unfortunately I can't even tell you much more than that, it came with another punishment, if I try to directly mention anything, it comes out jumbled."
"Couldn't allow yourself to try and change the future, it's a bit of controlled chaos." Tim said nodding.
"Exactly." Glinda said nodding.
Meanwhile at the clearing.
Alex and Ozma sat, each with a sandwich as they watched the sight unfold before them. Dorothy had sat in the center of the clearing and had begun meditating. The scepter began noticeably drawing off her.
"It can't use us." Alex said gesturing to himself, referring to the beast as well, "the two of us in one head, it wouldn't be able to latch on the same way it does her."
"I assume that's only a theory?" Ozma asked curiously.
"Basically, but in principle it seems right." Alex said in response
"Do you ever actually relax on your own?" Ozma asked curiously, "Just out of sheer curiosity."
"Not really, the only thing keeping both of us in the cool-headed position is giving ourselves something to do, thinking about you guys qualifies as something, working on carpentry." He says
"The massages you give her, she seems to enjoy those, but you were doing those before the beast was a thing." Ozma said smiling.
"You know, if you really want one you need only ask." Alex said with a chuckle, taking a bite from his sandwich.
"I know dorothy doesn't mind it." Came the voice of the scepter, "Sorry I can't join you in a more physical presence, but drawing magical energy is a tricky process when you're doing it in reverse."
"Worst case scenario?" alex asked curiously.
"How long ya got?" The scepter asked in response.
"What?" Alex and Ozma asked in unison.
"There are a number of things that can go wrong in this case" the scepter said, "so long as this link is being maintained properly nothing can, thankfully." She added, "don't worry she can still hear you, though she can't speak."
"In order to maintain the link, I assume." Alex asked taking a bite out of his sandwich.
"Correct." The scepter said happily, "Glinda had been consulting the Grimmerie by the way, that's why she was in such a hurry." The scepter added, "and to answer your next question, whilst I tend to be loud in the physical sense, the Grimmerie is loud in a magical sense, usually it contents itself to just do the magical equivalent of humming to itself, this time it was doing the equivalent of singing loudly just for the attention, it was aiming for Glinda this time." She said
"You say that as though it's aimed for others in the past." Ozma said finishing her sandwich.
"It has, it's a book of order in the right hands, and a book of chaos in the wrong…or right depending on what it is you're trying to accomplish." She said letting out a ping, "But like with myself and the slippers, it feels an unusual pull towards dorothy, however most of you are so scared of the book in general that you're able to resist its call."
"What's stopping…" Alex started to ask then immediately stopped himself, "You are, aren't you?" He asked rhetorically
"Best I can, you're all still aware of its presence in Glinda's room, despite the fact that it should have been moved to some place more secure by now, but Glinda still has the feeling that removing it from the emerald city at this time would be a mistake, and for all intents and purposes she's probably right, it's better to have something to hand and never need it, then to not have it and be left wanting or needing."
"Yea, word of advice, stay out of my head." Alex said finishing his sandwich.
Suddenly he and Ozma were gripped by the same feeling at the same time. At that moment Dorothy's eyes snapped open and she took a sharp breath inward, getting to her feet, coughing, she grabbed the scepter and jammed it into the ground. the wind whipped around them as they were brought, picnic and all into the sanctuary underneath the clearing. Suddenly there was a loud rumbling and the entire underground shook.
"What was that?" Ozma asked very concerned.
"According to the scepter before she returned control to me" Dorothy said catching her breath, "A fluctuation of magic, a big one and a bad one." She took a step forward causing some of the crystal tiles to hum and light up.
"Not exactly something we'd want to be caught in then." Alex said, "did she say what caused it."
The scepter pinged twice
"She's not sure, but it came from the east, aka further up the river." Dorothy said walking over and grabbing a sandwich, quickly wolfing it down,
"Easy there, kitten, you're liable to choke if you scarf your food down like that." Alex said looking rather worried as she took out another sandwich and scarfed that down as well.
The scepter let out another series of pings.
"I think the reverse transfer of energy had an adverse effect on her, it should normalize in a few minutes." Ozma said looking just as worried, "In theory anyways."
"All magic has some kind of consequence, so I don't know why I'm surprised about this." Alex said rolling his eyes, then turned to the scepter, "so how long do we need to stay down here?" he asked curiously.
It pinged a few times.
"I mean, a couple of minutes won't do much harm." Dorothy said, her mouth half full.
"Kitten?" Alex asked curiously,
"Hmm?"
"Would you mind not talking with your mouth full, I would prefer to not have to deal with you choking on account of the fact that magic has made you quite hungry." He said walking over to a crystal table.
Ozma followed and sat down, the scepter let out a few pings and moved the picnic basket over. After a few more minutes dorothy found her appetite and attitude returning back to normal and joined them at the table.
"The scepter was right by the way, about the massage thing, actually I'm not sure why he hasn't extended the offer to you yet." She said looking at him.
"I feel like now we're just making small talk" Alex said,
"We just ran from the magical equivalent of a storm surge" came the voice of the beast, though it sounded distant "and odds are good its not for a good reason."
"Now that all depends on where it came from and why." Ozma said going through the basket and producing some strawberries.
"The beast has a point though; the track record doesn't really look too good for us." Dorothy said sighing. "And if I recall properly, alex, no we didn't run from the magic equivalent of a storm surge." She said
"How so?" alex asked arching an eyebrow.
"The storm? Remember that, with the jester?" dorothy said looking to the scepter.
It pinged, at first asking what do you expect me to do. then followed up by shooting a ball of light into the crystal wall. They all light up at once and showed a view of the emerald city when the jester had made his changes. The large crystal ball filled with energy being the showcase.
"I'm going to admit, I did not think that would work." Dorothy said, "we were told you really don't get a choice in the memories."
The scepter let out several pings, shooting out another orb. This one multicolored. The crystal walls started flashing various images. Most of them, their adventures. Others them in their downtime.
"Wonder if that only applies to living people?" alex asked curiously, the voice of the beast not echoing far behind.
"Is the scepter not technically alive?" Ozma asked curiously.
"Depends on the definition in this case, yes I'd say so, but in this case considering the powers of the room, it might only apply its rules to people, not sentient objects of power." Alex said sighing.
Soon the images stopped flickering and the crystals went dark. Dorothy sighed and touched a wall out of curiosity. It lit up again and showed an old scene, and older memory, a younger dorothy. It was her and the scarecrow in the woods, oiling the tin man's joints.
"You know, this gives me pause for thought, are his joints made out of iron or steel?" Alex asked curiously "but the thought has been occurring to me, tin itself doesn't rust, it tarnishes."
"I think so?" Dorothy said, wondering that herself now, "Pretty sure it was mentioned at some point. Though knowing his story that could only have been the case for the connecting joints once his full body had been finished, and that…alex have I ever actually told you, his story?"
"No kitten, only that he used to be flesh once, and that what he went through was rather painful." Alex said going through the basket and producing a tin, opening it revealing fudge.
"I don't even know his full story beyond that" Ozma said taking a piece from the tin, "doesn't really feel polite to ask about it."
"It doesn't come up in conversation that often either, its usually more or less something we all seemed to have silently agreed not to mention" Alex said, "or even delve deeper into"
Dorothy nodded and took a piece of fudge from the tin.
"I suppose we could ask the moment we see him again." Dorothy said sighing, "I don't think he'd mind."
"Dorothy, Him, Scarecrow, and lion would literally bend over backwards for you" Alex said, "I don't think the possibility of offending any of them is really in question"
"True." Dorothy said popping the of fudge into her mouth.
"You know, they way you two described this place is right, very calming." Ozma said taking in a deep breath.
They both smiled. Alex leaned back against one of the walls and it lit up. Both dorothy and Ozma looked at it and smiled. Alex took a minute before he turned to look at the image. He chuckled.
"Well, now I think the universe is trying hard to tell me something" he and the beast said.
The memory it showed was the night the jester had told them about Rose. he and dorothy were sat by the campfire, her feet in his lap. It was the first time he had ever given her a massage.
"That was the first time, you were trying to help me relax, and I wont lie it helped." Dorothy said smiling
"Makes asking even more tempting." Ozma said, winking at alex. This resulted in a giggle out of dorothy.
"Like I said, you need only ask." He said in response.
"Perhaps later" Ozma said smiling, "you think its clear to return to the surface?" she asked curiously.
The scepter let out a series of pings.
"Apparently it has been for a couple of minutes, we should probably get back to the surface, and get back to the palace." Alex said packing up the tin of fudge and placing it into the picnic basket before placing it on his arm.
The three of them got up and dorothy held her hand out of the scepter. As it met her hand, she immediately brought it down onto the ground. light immediately engulfed them, and the wind whipped around them. in seconds they found themselves suddenly in the pouring rain, Elphaba was standing before them, open umbrella in hand.
The rain itself was the cold and misery causing variety. It was loud
"Glinda told me I'd have to wait on you three after that burst, good thing you weren't caught in it." Elphaba said over the sound of the rain.
"But what exactly happened?" Ozma asked curiously, taking out her fairy wand and putting up an extra barrier for all of them.
"Some sort of magical burst from the munchkin country" Elphaba said sounding grateful for the extra barrier.
"Well, lets not stand here getting further soaked." Dorothy said, "We can discuss this more once we're back in the palace and dried off.
"Says the girl who cant get her feet wet." Alex said looking at the slippers. "Which is odd, because I would have thought they'd keep the entirety of you dry" he added.
"Usually they would, but for the moment magic is a bit screwy" Elphaba said "it should normalize again in a few hours"
"What could have possibly caused that?" Ozma asked sounding worried as they walked back onto Tugg's deck.
"A massive backfire, at least that's Glinda's theory, she having scarecrow use the rainbow mover to send her back to her castle as we speak."
"But surely a backfire that big would cause severe damage to the surrounding environment, wouldn't it?" Ozma asked sounding even more concerned.
"It really depends on the circumstances, but we'll have to wait for Glinda's report." Elphaba said as they started back towards the palace.
At this point Ozma's barrier fizzled out. Any added protection it provided completely negated.
"Spells aren't holding" Elphaba said looking at her umbrella, she then turned to alex "Glinda said you two had one in your bedroom, but I couldn't find it."
"I'm not surprised" Alex said, "you'd have been looking for a while, as I put it on one of the higher levels of the closet."
"Why?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"I wasn't rushing to put it away, decided to look around, just threw it where I thought it would fit." Alex said "so I just threw it somewhere at random, ill move it to the lower levels once we've changed into something dry."
They all shared a small laugh over this, knowing full well that there and now it could not be helped. Though the rain was cold, wet, and would in any normal situation leave them completely miserable, but right now nothing could get them down. Elphaba, however, as the three of them noticed looked extremely nervous. her hands weren't steady, neither her free one nor the hand holding the umbrella.
"you still don't like the rain, do you?" Alex asked curiously.
"I had a really terrible experience in a freak storm when we were in school, I was barely able to move for over a month, its when glinda decided to develop the potion that protects me from water." Elphaba said "Despite that, I still fear the rain."
"Elphaba, you know we would do anything in our power to keep you safe, and help you feel more secure." Dorothy said going over to her, she almost reached out a hand to take hers but decided against it as she was soaking wet.
"And in any other circumstances this would come as a comfort, but with magic going all wonky for some reason, I-I just don't" she said, her face going a deeper shade of green.
Tugg did what he could to quickly get them back to the docks. Madeline was already waiting for them, a couple of umbrellas tucked under her arm. She handed one to each of them to keep from getting any further soaking, though it was clear they were already soaked to the skin. They quickly made their ways back to their rooms to change.
Meanwhile at Glinda's palace.
The trip to the south via the rainbow mover was not glinda's favorite way to get there, but it had done the job quickly enough. She made her way to the chamber that held the great book of records. Opening it to the most written entry, she found herself irritated by what it said.
Magic has gone all wonky.
Glinda sighed and closed her eyes, she knew the book occasionally was brief in order to be able include every entry of the day. She began to whisper a spell, feeling it flow through her and into the book. She heard something happen and smiled. Looking up vortex of papers seemed to have opened up above her. She cast another spell and flew up into the vortex. Looking at all the papers closest to the entrance, she found that all the information was a jumble. Not the same kind of jumble that occurred with the girl,but a jumble that looked more like alphabet soup for any other comparison. She flew down to the ground and closed the portal above. She shook her head.
"Ma'am" Came Chucks voice from outside the chamber.
"Yes chuck?" Glinda asked curiously.
"A large Eagle here to see you, says he bears a message from Cassandra."
