Animal, Person...Or Dragon

The Wizard of Oz: Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain...

Chapter 7

The Wizard Is Gone

It was clear to see when they entered Munchkin Country for houses started to appear one by one, slowly growing more frequent. Not soon after, they were in the center of the main plaza. Soaking in the sights. Everything around them was blue, even the clothes on the people. It was clear to see than Munchkinland was distinguishable by the colour blue. Friendly people named Munchkins roamed around, saluting the three travellers (plus two animals), offering them their hands to shake or sometimes a high five.

If Lucy had the desire to describe the Eastern place she was situated in, it would only take four words: rich, beautiful, fertile and pleasant. Nothing like where she was from. Montreal was a rather beautiful and pleasant city, but she would not call it rich and fertile. Every city had their quirks and disabilities. Munchkin Country was just too...perfect. Everybody was too kind, it made Lucy feel uncomfortable. Her discomfort escalated when all beings around her vicinity started to sing about their day. Natsu seemed that he was enjoying it. "Nothing makes sense in that brain of his." Were Lucy's ongoing thoughts. Trying to block out the cheerful singing out of her brain so she wouldn't receive a migraine.

Ha - ha - ha, Ho - ho - ho - And a couple of tra - la – las. That's how we laugh the day away, In the Merry Old Land of Oz! Bzz - bzz - bzz, Chirp - chirp - chirp - And a couple of La - di – das. That's how the crickets crick all day, In the Merry Old Land of Oz! We get up at twelve and start to work at one. Take an hour for lunch and then at two we're done. Jolly good fun! Ha - ha - ha, Ho - ho - ho - And a couple of tra - la – las. That's how we laugh the day away, In the Merry Old Land of Oz! All the Munchkins cheered, then going back to their daily chores and work...if they had such a responsibility. Lucy covered her ears, trying not to smile for Natsu had started singing along. It sounded like a cat had been thrown across a classroom, smacked against a chalkboard and trying to climb up it with its claws. That was how horrible it sounded. She would never sing karaoke with him, the neighbours might call the police.

One Munchkin came up to them, looking like he was an important person in the land. They were right, he was the mayor. Lucy hoped he wouldn't sing to them, or she would have to gag him purposely to keep her ears from hurting. She was sometimes a rather grouchy person.

"Greetings, we all welcome you to our Country! I am the mayor." The mayor said, waiting for one of them to shake the hand he had generously laid out in front of them. Natsu all but wanted to touch a Munchkin, so he took it on himself to shake the mayor's hand. The young man needed to bend down. The mayor was only around three foot nine.

"Please to meet you little man!" Natsu grinned, shaking the man's hand fervently.

The mayor furrowed his brow for an instant, but then converted back to his usual happy self. "Yes, yes." He said, peeling off Natsu's hand.

"So, my princess. I have brought you to your destination. May I have a kiss of gratitude? Then I will be able to leave." Loki, implied. Getting closer to the Blonde, awaiting his reward. The lion knew Natsu could not object. It was obvious the dragon boy wanted him to leave as quickly as possible.

Natsu was not enjoying the perverted lion's (that's what Natsu nicknamed him) request. Anger boiled inside him like lava awaiting to overflow. He clenched his fists, not understanding the feeling of jealousy bubbling up inside him; he had never experienced such an emotion before. It was unsettling to him. He meditated on keeping his breathing low and steady. For more information, Natsu was a man who always had everything his way. Never had anyone else to compete with...for anything. So now, it seemed that he had a possessive streak. Not to mention for Lucy. It wasn't...as you say...healthy. For any of them. At least the pinkette was not lashing out. Then, there would have been destruction, and a couple of black eyes.

Lucy looked at Natsu, stuttering and not knowing how to respond to the unassertive demand. She had kissed other guys before, but somehow it didn't sound right to do it in front of Natsu. She then started to find faults in her reasoning for Natsu didn't seem to care what she did. Finding a loop hole in Loki's request, she stood on her toes and kissed the lion on the cheek. He had never been completely exact in the details of the kiss.

Lucy landed back on her heels and stepped away. "There, and thank you for your help. It helped a lot." The happily dazed lion, nodded his head. It seemed he had never been kissed by a beautiful blond before. His womanizer personality did not match with his experience on the matter. It was all a bluff.

"Nice meeting you milady." He kissed her hand once again, but on the tips of her fingers. "And you too." He glanced towards Natsu, not seeming to be telling the truth. "Hope I see you again." He winked at Lucy and fled towards whence he came.

Lucy sighed, she hoped she would get to see Loki again, he was dashingly handsome. Natsu on the other hand was pleased, and he retracted his clenched muscles originating from his fist. He grinned, making himself believe that making Loki (his rival) leave was all his doing. If Lucy had kissed him anywhere else, he felt like his heart would beat slower than usual and eventually halt till further notice.

Natsu went up to Lucy and wiped her lips with his scarf. Lucy looked at him strangely. He gave her an answer for her quizzical look. "What? I was just disinfecting them for you. Why would you want to have another person's taste on your lips? Especially a mangy lion?" He asked like it was the most normal thing in the world to say.

"Well, well, well. Who do we have here?" A nasally voice came from behind, stroking Happy, who seemed pleased whilst Plue stood at her feet, sniffing her out for reassurance. Her murky green skin and black fashion sense made her easy to identify. The Wicked Witch of the West.

Lucy jumped, seeing her for the first time had made her skin crawl. She ran for the closest bucket of water she could find...and chucked it all over the Witch.

*Splash* "AHAH! Melt you wicked toad!" She screamed her odd battle cry. Her taunting stopped when nothing happened. There was now a wet damp green skinned woman in front of her looking not overly happy. A bundle of Munchkins ran up, huddling together at the sight in front of them. One of them even shed tears.

"What are you doing with our dear friend?" A young Munchkin said.

"Y-your what!" Lucy screeched bewildered. The Wicked Witch was actually not the villain in this twisted tale. "No, no she is the bad guy. The one who controls those hideous flying monkeys and wants to rule over the whole land."

The witch laughed, sounding very high pitched. "What? Me? I want to take over the world? There is no such thing. This is Munchkin Country, nothing evil resides here. Only happy people." She ruffled Lucy's hair as if she were an oblivious child.

Lucy did not like how everything was turning out. She rather be in the real story. Natsu was just as sluggish. He wanted to be the hero and defeat the Witch with everlasting courage and massive strength. Was it to show off to Lucy? Who knows.

"Ok, so Toto is something that doesn't really resemble a dog, the scarecrow has pink hair, I am Dorothy with blond hair and who doesn't even resemble her, flying monkeys are actually blue cats, the Cowardly lion is not even a lion at all but a man with courage, and the main villain in actually nice?" Lucy ran everything out loud, speaking more to herself than anyone else. She was slowly plucking a few strands of hair out subconsciously. "What about the Tin Man, and Glinda the good witch, or the great and powerful Oz? Do they even exist?" She asked placing her hands on her hips. Her question was directed at anyone who wanted to answer her.

The mayor spoke up. "Never heard of them...hmm...actually the great and powerful Oz does ring a bell." He pondered for a moment to get his facts straight. "Yes! Now I remember, my brain doesn't work that well anymore you see. It just needed a little push. The wizard of Oz left a few years ago." The mayor took something out of his pocket, an old gold plated Pocket watch. "He told me to give this to the boy with the pink hair. Said you would be coming one day." He placed the watch in Natsu's hands carefully.

Natsu didn't know what to say. How could Oz know he was coming? He looked at the pocket watch. He smelled it for some reason, the odor felt familiar. A single tear fell onto his cheek; it was his father's. He remembered it from when he was a child, his father's most prized possession. He kept it on him at all times. It had the same sentimental value than the pink haired boy's scarf.

"Lucy...this is my father's." The young woman looked at him with intense eyes. What did this mean? How come his father was in Oz? It made no sense, but nothing made sense anymore anyway. Natsu grabbed the old man, picking him up with no difficulty, their faces were now at the same level. "TELL ME WHERE HE IS!" Natsu yelled ferociously.

"I...I d-d-don't know! He j-j-just gave me this and t-t-then he left! Please don't kill me!" The mayor pleaded, covering his face.

"Natsu calm down, put the poor man down!" Lucy but in, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder. Natsu scoffed, and putting the man back down. Natsu then collapsed on the ground, searching for anything of importance on his father's pocket watch. He may be in trouble and Natsu needed to find him as quickly as possible. Lucy sat down next to him, peering over his shoulder whilst happy perched on his other one.

A gold lid sat atop the watch itself for protection, Natsu opened it. The clock still worked perfectly, its mechanisms turning easily. Ticking melodically.

"What's that?" Lucy pointed to a small red button fitted in the middle of the two clock hands.

"I don't know." He shrugged, getting ready to press it. Lucy smacked his hand away, hissing.

"Don't press it! Don't you know that you should never touch a red button. In all the movies, if any one presses a red button, they usually die." She told him off.

"Nah, nothing is going to happen." He then pressed it. "See, nothing changed."

Suddenly the watch glowed golden, the same colour as the book did. As the light grew stronger, trio found themselves being sucked away from the world they were in. No time to say farewell. Lucy held on to Natsu's hand, almost crushing it. "SEE WHAT DID I TELL YOU!" She screamed hysterically. "YOU ARE SO DEAD!"

As the light engulfed them, pushing them into the clock, the couple wondered where they would end up in next. "Please let it be one with a happy ending." Lucy wished, waiting to fall into consciousness once again. Natsu was just enjoying the ride, crossing his fingers and hoping he would find his father...sooner than later. "Who are you father...?"

What did you think? Please review...and tell me what world they will drop into next.

Sayonara

welshcanadian14