Chapter 6: Two New Companions
The Tin Woodsman creaked and croaked as his joints were returning to natural working order. Everyone else just stared at his recovering body.
"You're doing it! You're Moving!" Dorothy exclaimed.
"Thank You" said the Tin Man. This caused Dorothy to hide her face behind Takeo. "I haven't been able to move for over a year."
"Some of you still seems to be recovering. Maybe once the oil kicks in, you will be back to normal," suggested Richtofen.
"I'll help him anyway" Scarecrow stated. He moved forward and attempted to move the Tin arm. Yet, as a Scarecrow is almost as light as air and a Tin Man would weigh many more measurements, this proved to be near impossible.
"I get it. If you help me like this, I'll be able to move sooner," Tin Man realized. "You're pretty clever, you know that?"
"He's right, it was very good plan," Nikolai said.
"I can't be clever because I don't have any brains," Scarecrow said.
After a while, the Tin Man was able to move his arm again. During this time, Scarecrow asked why he was standing for over a year.
"Well, one year ago, I was out chopping wood. Then came a sudden rain. As I went to fetch the oil can, I got all rusted up, and I was unable to move," replied the Tin Man.
"Now for your leg..." Scarecrow started.
"Wait, I think the Tin Man can walk without assistance. Maybe..." but it was too late as the two of them fell over before Dempsey could finish his sentence. Fortunately, the Tin Man recovered quickly and he retrieved his axe from the side of a log.
"Truly, you all are lifesavers. Now I can continue my woodsman work."
"I guess it is time for us to return to our quest. You'll need this more than us," Takeo stated as he handed the oil can back to the Tin Man.
"Where are you headed?" asked the Tin Man.
"We're all headed to the Emerald City!" Dorothy exclaimed.
"You don't say." This got the Tin man to think. Everyone headed back to the cabin in the woods, where Tin Man sat on the bed petting Toto.
"Just what is he trying to achieve?" asked Nikolai.
"Maybe our Tin friend wants something from Oz's leader. I mean, look at the way he pets Toto. It's almost like he is trying to evoke a response," Richtofen replied.
"That's right, I want a heart. Or rather, a loving heart" Tin Man said.
"A 'loving' heart?" Dorothy asked.
"A heart over a brain?" asked Scarecrow.
"Yes indeed. There is no heart in this body. And with no heart, I cannot love anyone" Tin Man stated. "I want to ask for a heart from the Great King of Oz. No matter what it takes!"
"So I guess you'll be joining us as we go to the Emerald City?" Dempsey asked. Tin Man nodded in agreement. The group then headed out on the Yellow Brick Road again.
"You know, why is your body made of Tin? My former companions worked on robots before, but judging from your appearance, I can assume it is unnatural," Richtofen questioned the Tin Man.
"Yes, a long time ago, I used to be an ordinary Munchkin," Tin man started. "Back in the day, I was a passionate young woodsman. As I was cutting down trees in the woods, I fell in love with a beautiful woman. The Witch of the East grew jealous of the love we had for each other. So she stole my warm heart and body, all so I could no longer love that woman!"
"That witch of the East was a despicable character," Nikolai noted. "And that story reminded me of my past."
"I want my heart back in my chest! Let's go, to the Emerald City!"
Thus the Tin Man marched forward, with everyone else following behind him. Eventually, they reached a part of the forest covered in tree roots all along the ground. The Tim Man used his axe and cut right through every single one, impressing the rest of the group.
"Now we can pass," Tin Man told the group.
"I wonder if my staff would've been able to do that quicker," mused Takeo.
"Best that we found the Tin Man, for all we know, a fire could've started because of the Staves," Richtofen told Takeo.
Finally, the entire group made it to the edge of the forest where they decided to rest.
"After not moving for so long, I'm a bit tired," Tin Man said.
"Are you all right Woodman?" asked Dorothy.
"I just need a little rest," answered Tin Man. "But as for you... you don't know what it means to be tired, huh?" Tin Man directed this question to the Scarecrow.
"Yes, but surely when I have some brains–"
Suddenly, there was a loud roar coming closer to the group. All four soldiers instantly stood up and readied their staves, as if they felt that a familiar presence was approaching them.
"Over the hill! There's something coming!" Dempsey yelled.
Indeed something did come, a ferocious lion with a mane that could rival other beasts. For some reason, this lion was chasing a butterfly.
"A lion!?" Dorothy yelled, inching herself closer to Tin Man. Interestingly, the lion chased the butterfly past the group, making all of them question the lion.
"What in the ruler of this land's name is going on? I see a lion that could devour all of us chasing a defenseless butterfly! Is this one of your tricks German?!" Nikolai demanded.
"Nein!" Richtofen immediately answered. "Group 935 was only trying to find and control element 115, not tame creatures to use in a circus! Though I must admit, why would a lion chase a butterfly?"
This caused Dorothy to look up from beneath the Tin Man. "A lion... with a butterfly?" she asked.
Yes, said lion was currently observing the butterfly as it rested on a flower.
"This lion has no honor. It should be chasing tigers and bears, not catching butterflies," Takeo stated. "Perhaps we should observe what it does next, for it seems different than the many lions in our world."
All of a sudden, the lion stopped chasing the butterfly and turned towards the group. All of them stared wondering what it would do to them. Toto stood in front of the lion trying to defend the group, but the lion advanced. The lion roared, forcing Dorothy, Tin Man, and most of the men to run behind a bush, not wanting to risk destroying a forest over a lion. Only Toto, Scarecrow, and Richtofen remained.
Suddenly, the lion leaped and, after Scarecrow and Richtofen jumped away, grabbed Toto.
'I wonder what power level would be the best to scare off this lion' thought Richtofen. 'Perhaps I should try a small shock. A larger one might–"
"Stop bullying Toto this instant, you cowardly thing!" Dorothy yelled before slapping the lion hard and driving Richtofen out of his thoughts. He looked up and saw Dorothy staring the lion down. He started to move towards Dorothy.
"Dorothy, we need to get out of here! That lion could very well–" Before Richtofen could finish, the Dorothy just continued her criticism
"A brute like you biting a little thing like this. Aren't you ashamed?"
"I... I didn't bite him!" said the lion. This startled all four men, for lions couldn't speak English at all. "I just wanted to startle him a bit."
"Your body is large and strong, but underneath, you are secretly a coward?" Nikolai asked.
"AHHH! I knew it! Clever folks see right through me!" the lion stated, apparently stunned that someone figured his secret out. "You're right. I am a coward. I've always been one." The entire group stared at the lion, feeling apologetic that they had turned him into a sobbing mess. Eventually, the group left the lion and continued along the Yellow Brick Road, but for some reason, the lion was following them.
"He's still following us," said Scarecrow after looking back.
"I don't think you need to send us off. Or have you come to try and ask us to be scared by you?" Dempsey asked.
The lion stopped and said "um..." to get everyone's attention. "W-Well, I was thinking..."
"You know, even a very cowardly lion is still pretty scary," Dorothy secretly told the group.
"Will you take me to see the great Wizard of Oz?" the lion suddenly asked.
"I take it you want courage?" Richtofen asked the lion.
"Yes, more than anything!" the lion replied.
"In that case, let's all go together!" Dorothy exclaimed.
"We're going to the Emerald City..." Tin Man started
"...as friends, to ask the Great Wizard of Oz to grant our wishes, right?" finished Scarecrow.
And so, the group continued down the Yellow Brick Road, where they decided to not waste daylight in search of a chance to get home. Unbeknownst to them, they were about to enter a second forest, this one home of the Kalidahs, terrible beasts with the body of a bear and the head of a tiger. Additionally, the staves were glowing again, indicating that two new allies had joined them in their journey to leave the land of Oz.