Disclaimer, well you know by now.
The night of the dance came rather too quickly for Dorothy's liking. When Mrs. Johnson arrived with the dress she said she had found she recognized it immediately. It was a mint green dress with white frills at the sleeves. On the dress was a floral pattern embroidered on it with forest green thread. She remembered the last time she had seen it, her mother was going through a large chest of things.
"Momma, what's that?" Dorothy asked picking up the dress her mother had removed from the chest.
"That, your father bought me this dress so that we could go to the school dance together, I didn't have any dresses I thought looked presentable, but your father, he bought me this, and I do not regret going to that dance." Her mom said picking it up and holding it up in front of her.
"Will that dress be mine one day?" Dorothy asked.
"It is my hopes that it will, that you one day get to wear this to your first school dance." Her mom said putting the dress back in the chest.
"Maybe one day." Dorothy said giggling
And here Dorothy was now. Wearing her mother's old dress. It looked beautiful on her. Everyone was agreed on that. It fit her perfectly as well. About an hour before Mrs. Teak was to pick her up to take her and Alex to the dance Dorothy sat in her bedroom. Looking at her reflection in the mirror on the wall by her wardrobe. Toto was sitting on the bed behind her.
"I think you look beautiful in that dress." Toto said.
"Thanks boy." Dorothy said.
"How come Aislynn and Ellie aren't here?" Toto asked curiously.
"Mr. Alistair wanted them to help set up the gym for the dance, Donna is there as well." Dorothy said.
"Oh." Toto replied.
"Yep." Dorothy said as she heard knocking from the door in the living room.
Both Dorothy and Toto turned their heads and listened. She heard the sound of the door opening and Alex's voice following. He was here early, and her aunt acknowledged that.
"Dorothy!" Her aunt called.
"I know Auntie Em." Dorothy shouted.
"Well could you come out here?" Em asked.
"Give me a minute!" Dorothy shouted.
"Okay." Em replied.
Dorothy turned around and sighed. She then grabbed the scepter and slid on the slippers. Then she walked out of her room. When she got to the living room she chuckled as she saw Alex's jaw drop. It took him a minute to regain his composure. He was wearing a new suit, over it was a long suit jacket that went just passed his knees, he was wearing new and freshly polished dress shoes. His hair was combed so that it was a bit slicked back. She thought that he looked as handsome as he found her looking beautiful.
"I remember that dress, oh what a beautiful night it was." Mrs. Teak said.
Dorothy chuckled and walked up to Alex. Immediately after however the sound of the triplets playing in their new playpen in the sitting room distracted them all. Alex walked over to the play pen and immediately the three of them grew silent, Dorothy walked up to them and chuckled. Robert looked up at Alex and Dorothy curiously for a second before giggling loudly the other two followed suit. Dorothy smiled as Alex stood up and took her by the hand. Dorothy then noticed that Robert and Alicia's eyes had just flashed emerald green for a brief second. This had become normal in the gale household and to anyone who knew where they were born. Dorothy smiled as she and Alex walked outside of the farmhouse allowing for her aunt and Mrs. Teak to engage in a quick conversation before she took her and Alex to the school. In the distance they could see a full moon rising in the distance. Dorothy sighed and kissed Alex on the cheek making him blush slightly. About half an hour later Mrs. Teak emerged from the farmhouse and they were off to the school. When they arrived Dorothy found Ellie waiting outside the school. When they emerged from the truck Alex helped Dorothy fix the dress and Ellie walked over and took the scepter from her.
"Dorothy, you look beautiful." Ellie said as she took the scepter.
"Thank you Ellie." Dorothy said.
"Will you two be staying to help take down the decorations?" Mrs. Teak asked curiously.
"Yes mom." Alex said.
"Well, when you guys are done here Alex, your father, Annabella and I will be at your farmhouse Dorothy." Mrs. Teak said before getting back in the truck.
"Thank you Mrs. Teak." Dorothy said.
Mrs. Teak looked at her and smiled before driving off. The three of them then went into the school and to the gym. When they got there they found Jenny and Jessica helping Aislynn set up some banners on the walls. When the three of them laid eyes on Dorothy they gasped.
"Dorothy, you look beautiful." Aislynn said running up to her.
"Thank you ace." Dorothy said.
"I think ace put it best." Jessica said as jenny nodded in agreement.
"So, there's tonight's perfect couple." Came the voice of Mr. Alistair as he walked over to them.
"Thank you uncle." Alex said.
"Where's donna?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"She's in the back helping the orchestra we hired for the dance." Mr. Alistair said.
"Well, people will start arriving soon." Mr. Alistair said as Donna came in carrying some instrument cases.
"You look beautiful Dorothy!" Donna shouted.
"Thanks, it seems we are unanimous on that!" Dorothy shouted.
"Right, well, this is going to be a night to remember." Donna said.
Dorothy smiled and chuckled. As the clock struck five people began arriving. Each of them stopping and complimenting on Dorothy's dress. It wasn't long before the actual dancing commenced. However Dorothy and Alex spent most of their time on the sidelines. They didn't really want to become the prime spectacle of the dance. They didn't actually get out onto the floor until Ellie and Aislynn dragged them out.
"Ellie, you know what's going to happen once Alex and I start dancing." Dorothy whispered.
"So?" Ellie asked.
Dorothy sighed and looked at Alex. They then began to dance. While they danced they didn't even noticed that people had been moving out of the way and were watching them dance. They danced for about an hour before the music stopped and they stopped dancing. Immediately they were met with a roar of applause. Dorothy and Alex both blushed in embarrassment. As the applause faded there was only one person left clapping. Slowly clapping. A chuckle was heard throughout the room. Dorothy looked around and her eyes fell on the jester who was standing on the stage.
"Bravo, oh bravo, that, was, beautiful!" the jester said laughing.
"Now what do you want!?" Dorothy asked.
"Oh, I just came to watch, and, well, give a bit of a scare!" He said laughing wickedly before vanishing.
Dorothy was frightened at this point, most people had forgotten the last time the jester had shown up, passing it off as a bad dream or a publicity stunt. Dorothy looked at Alex and grabbed the scepter from Ellie. She then ran out of the gym. Soon she found herself outside the school and at the fields in the back. Alex ran up behind her.
"Dorothy?" Alex asked sounding concerned.
"Alex, you know we aren't done with the jester." Dorothy said sounding scared.
"I know that..." Alex said before Dorothy raised a hand to stop him from saying any more.
"Alex, now that we know what he can do, he just becomes more and more powerful." Dorothy said tearing up.
"Dorothy." Alex said walking up to her and wrapping his arms around her.
"Alex, it frightens me, more than you believe." Dorothy said as Alex wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Dorothy, please calm down." Alex said.
"Alex, no matter what I do any more the jester somehow finds a way to gain the upper hand." Dorothy said.
"But…" Alex started to say.
"Alex, if this keeps up he'll be the one who wins in the end, I have seen one of the possible futures before, way back, I saw the possibility of my own downfall." Dorothy said hugging him
"Dorothy, don't even think about that, all you'll do is scare yourself more." Alex said.
"Alex, please." Dorothy said.
Alex hugged Dorothy tightly. He knew of several things he could say. But none of them would work. It was then that the back door to the gym was opened by Donna who saw what was going on and propped the door open slightly before going back in. Dorothy sniffed and hugged him tightly.
"Dorothy, please, you know that as long as I am still around I will not let you come to harm." Alex said.
Dorothy said nothing in response. She simply broke from the embrace and turned around. Looking out at the field. The light of the full moon illuminating everything. The scepter's glow dimmed as she looked around. Tears continued to fall down her face as she thought about the jester. She had already seen the possibility of her own downfall, all of her nightmares. She sniffed and quickly turned back to Alex. Quickly and tightly embracing him.
"Alex, promise me, no matter what happens you will never, ever, ever turn against me." Dorothy said.
Alex looked at Dorothy and smiled. He crossed his heart and hugged her. He then led her back inside. As they walked in Alex kicked the doorstop out of the way and allowed for the door to shut. Alex led Dorothy to center of the gym again and the music started back up. Ellie walked over and took the scepter from Dorothy. Dorothy smiled and they began to dance again. They danced nonstop for another hour before the clock struck eight. Around that time Mr. Alistair got on the stage the orchestra was on and thanked everyone for coming. As people began to depart Dorothy began helping Donna with the orchestra's equipment. Once this was done and the gym was empty aside from, Alex, Donna, Ellie, Aislynn, and herself. They began to take down all of the decorations. They finished by about half past nine and Alex went to go call for his mom to pick them up.
"Glinda just contacted me." Ellie said closing her little compact mirror and handing Dorothy the scepter.
"What about?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"She want's ace and I to stay in the emerald City tonight, you and Alex are to come first thing in the morning." Ellie said.
"Are the Teaks okay with this?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"I don't think Mr. Teak really cares that much, but Glinda is contacting Mrs. Teak as we speak." Ellie replied.
"Good point, well, Mrs. Teak will be here in a few minutes to bring me home and to take Mr. Teak and Annabella back home." Dorothy said.
"Well then, she shouldn't have any problems finding them." Ellie said.
"I just called your house Dorothy, We'll be going the emerald city in the morning." Alex said.
"Yea, I know." Dorothy replied.
"Right, Ellie, we'll see you and Aislynn in the morning." Alex said.
"Right." Ellie said running over to Aislynn.
Dorothy looked at Alex and smiled. She then took his hand they walked out to the front of the school. Mrs. Teak drove up a few minutes later. When they finally arrived back at the farmhouse Dorothy gave Alex a quick kiss and then jumped out of the truck. When she got to the door of the farmhouse Mr. Teak walked out carrying a sleeping Annabella. She smiled and bid Mr. Teak a goodnight. Dorothy then quietly walked into the house and quietly to her bedroom. When she arrived she found Toto sleeping quietly at the foot of her bed. She quietly got a nightgown from her wardrobe. She then changed out of the dress and into the nightgown. She then set the dress carefully in her wardrobe. She then slid the slippers off and climbed into bed and soon she was asleep