Bryson awoke to the sight of Laura's bare back. She was now sitting at her edge of the bed. He layed down for a bit. He was still a bit confused about last night. He thought about asking her, but he decided to let it be for now. She turned her head around and smiled at him. "I'm glad to see that you are awake. How did you sleep?" She asked.
"Uh.. not too bad, I guess. What about you?" Bryson responded.
"I slept well, thank you." She replied. She turned over and Bryson could see her bare breasts once again, his teeanged mind reeling from the sight. He licked his lips. He still couldn't believe such a beautiful woman exposed herself to him like this. But it was Oz. He had to remember it was a very different world.
"I suppose we should be leaving soon. We need to search for Rabadan. Though.. I honestly haven't the slightest clue where he could be hiding." She admitted.
Bryson took his attention away from her breasts and faced her. "Well.. I think I know where he could be."
Laura's face lightened up a bit at this. "Really.. and where is that?"
"Well.. there's this cave. I was there with Dorothy and the others earlier.. he has guards there. We found some of his things there. I'm sure he goes there sometimes."
Laura nodded. "Cave.. I believe I know what cave you're referring to! I think I can take us there with my scepter." She bent down and picked it up. She then pointed it to Bryson.
Bryson gave a confused look. "Why... why are you pointing at me?"
"Because you know to much. You're trying to stop Rabadan. I'm sorry, but we can't have that. Rabadan's plan is a good one. And he's going to take all that support it with him, back to his homeland, Earth."
Bryson couldn't believe it. He shook his head. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted you." He said bitterly. "What do you plan on doing to me with that thing, anyway?"
She glared at him, with a menacing look. But the look soon faded and she looked at the floor. The look was replaced with a look of confusion and despair. Bryson was confused.
She slowly shook her head and made her way to the edge of the bed, sitting down.
"I don't know.." She admitted, her threatening tone changed into a confused one.
"You don't know?" Bryson questioned, his brow raised.
"No.. I.. I don't.." She gave a sigh of defeat. "I'm not quite sure if I even agree with him... but I'm not sure if I agree with you and the others, either... I just don't know what to think."
"How did you even find me? It was Rabadan, wasn't it?" He asked.
She sighed. "Yes... it was. He sent me to try and.. 'study' you.. he said. He wanted to see if you would be in the mindset to join him, so he sent me. Everything I told you was true, though. About the scepter and everything. I was just lying about going to stop him.."
He slowly nodded.
"I shouldn't have said that.. he's gonna find out a-and.. I.."
She shook her head and put her hands in her face. "I just don't know what to do anymore.." She mumbled.
He sat next to her. "Well, Rabadan seems like he manipulates people pretty well. It looks to me like you're the victim of his mind games." Bryson said, giving his insight.
"A-at.. at first I was completely against him.. but.. the more and more I heard him speak, the more I was slowly starting to see what he meant." She explained, her voice cracking and a few tears coming from her eye.
"And o-one night.. h-he.." She was now beginning to sob, but she tried to compose herself.
"He was at Quadling County.. trying to get more people on his side, I suppose.. and then h-he.. he got to me.. and I-I just gave in and said I agreed with him.. and then.. h-he took me to his cave.. and he.. well... we... fornicated.. and since then, I've been his slave. But he's just.. he just manipulates people so well! And I've known it in the back of my mind, too! It just wasn't til he wanted me to 'study' you that I've really thought about it..." she let out. "He.. he wanted me to try seduce you into this, too. That's why I took off your clothes last night, but I just stopped because I realized it wasn't right.."
Bryson did find those gestures strange.. he was glad to have the answers. He was surprised at this. He knew Rabadan was twisted, but he was really gonna have this woman sleep with him for his own personal gain? He was even worse than Bryson previously imagined.
They both stayed silent until he decided to comfort her. He gently rubbed her back. "Hey.. don't worry about it.. you've been manipulated. He's good at doing that. But you seem like you're finding your way back, yeah?"
She shrugged. "I don't know... I've lost myself to him." She sniffed. "I just don't know what side to take."
He sighed. If they ended up looking for Rabadan, she could turn on him at any moment. But if she remained on his side, he could definitely use her to win. She was powerful, right? "Listen.. this man has destroyed you. Come with me. I won't hurt you like that."
She shook her head. "I don't even know how to trust anymore..."
Bryson sighed. Rabadan really had broken this woman. It just went to show that even without that scepter, he was powerful. Which made Bryson all the more worried about the friends that Rabadan took. Which reminded him.. Laura might know where they are!
"Wait! So.. do you know where they are? My friends?!" He asked in hope.
"Y-yes.." She whispered.
"Where?! Where are they?!" He demanded.
She sighed, more tears flowing. He felt a bit guilty for yelling, but he was desperate for his friends.
"Where are they?" He said, slightly calmer.
She sighed, shaking her head.
"Laura.. please. Tell me. Where. Are they?"
"F-fine.. t-they're." She sighed again. "Rabadan has been redecorating the old Wicked Witch of the West's castle. He's.. he's using it has another hide out. He's been keeping them there."
"What's he done to them?!" Bryson asked.
She sniffed from the tears. "He's been... he's been... well.. he.."
"Please!" Bryson cried.
"He's been using each for different things. He's using the Scarecrow and Tin Man and just doing... humiliating things to them in front of his guards and his supporters. Just.. tearing out Scarecrow's straw and stuffing, insulting them, getting Wheelers to chase them around. And he keeps them in cages. He's been using Finley and trying to use him as his own personal little monkey... and Dorothy and Glinda.." She choked up a bit more.
She seemed hesitant to tell him about Dorothy and Glinda. Worrying him all the more. It hurt him, hearing about his friends being tortured like that hurt him.
"What's he done to Dorothy and Glinda?" He demanded. He feared greatly for them.
She sniffed. "He's been keeping them locked up and he.. I'm not sure what he plans on doing with them!"
The fact she didn't even know made Bryson all the more worried for his dear friends. "Where is this castle of his?!"
She sniffed, wiping tears away, shaking a bit. "I can't tell you.. even so, you can't go! He'll.. he.. he might kill you!"
"And if I don't, he'll do worse to Oz AND my friends. Tell me, please!" He pleaded in desperation. He coudn't bear to imagine his friends in any more suffering.
She shook her head and stuffed her face in her hands more. He sighed and tried to see if she could get her bearings together. He stayed with her for several minutes, before she finally calmed a bit. He decided that he would have to do something. He was going to take action. This entire time in Oz, he had help, and if she wasn't gonna help him, he was gonna try his absolute best to save this land. Odd were clearly against him, however. A skinny 14 year old boy versus a strong man with a powerful weapon that was capable of mass destruction, along with an entire army of guards. Didn't seem very likely he could beat him. In fact, in Bryson's mind, it was impossible. He could try to get Laura's help, but at this rate, she didn't seem like she could manage. But he'd try.
He turned to her.
"Laura..."
She looked at him.
"I'm gonna try to stop him. But I can't do that alone. Please.. will you help me?"
She sighed and shook her head, putting her hands in her face, causing Bryson to sigh. She continued to sob and Bryson realized he wasn't gonna get anywhere with her. He searched around for her scepter.
"Where's your scepeter?" he asked.
She looked at him, tears falling. "No.. I can't.. I just.."
Bryson kept looking around.. but he couldn't find it.
"I.. I can't find it..." He said to himself.
He turned to Laura, who gave him a bit of a guilty look. "I'm sorry, Bryson.."
"Laura.. what did you do with it.."
She gave no reply.
He grew angry, huffing and puffing a bit.
"Fine, then. If you won't give me the scepter, I'll just.. I'll do this by myself." He stated, coming off as much more brave and cunning then he really felt. He looked for the door in the room and rushed to it. He went for the knob, pausing and looking back for a bit, before quickly opening the door. The outside greeted him with the beautiful sunlight. He was in a forest. It looked like one of the only places Rabadan hadn't touched. He looked around before looking back at Laura, who gave a sad look. He simply gave her a small nod and closed the door. He sighed, already doubting himself. He didn't even know where the castle was. It wasn't like Laura was gonna tell him. He would probably just spend several hours wandering aimlessly through Oz before getting eaten by a Kalidah or something, he thought. He stood there for a few minutes, lost in his thoughts.
He would probably get lost.
Get killed.
But he was NOT going to let his friends die. He was going to try and try until he burned down with Oz.
So he started walking.