Disclaimer, you know.
After the shockwave shook all of Oz and very noticeable dark clouds began to descend over the city and they began swirling everyone began to grow worried about the possibility of a storm. As night fell over Oz Alex found himself on the night watch for the night. His sword by his side he kept watch. He would walk around the perimeter of the campsite until he decided to sit back at the fire. After several hours, when he was sure that everyone was completely asleep he began to cry softly. He began to wish Dorothy were here with him. He closed his eyes and wished that he could see her. But he knew that it was hopeless. It wasn't until that he felt someone drape a blanket over him that he realized he was no longer alone. His eyes snapped open and he found Glinda and Mr. Foreman standing by him.
"Alex?" Glinda asked worriedly.
"Are you alright alex?" Mr. Foreman asked.
"No, I'm crying does it look like I'm alright?" Alex snapped out
"Alex, we all miss her, but you said there's no use crying about it." Glinda said
"Yes, no use for you guys to cry over it, she made me what I am, I can't stand being without her." Alex said.
"You aren't the only one." Came Ellie's voice as she walked over.
"Ellie go back to bed." Glinda said.
"Glinda, let me talk to him" Ellie said.
"Promise me you won't punch him or we won't leave." Glinda said.
"You have my word." Ellie said.
Glinda nodded and she and Mr. Foreman returned to the tent. Ellie sighed and sat down next to Alex. He sniffed and threw the blanket from around his shoulders. Ellie sighed and picked up the blanket and draped it over him again.
"Alex, I don't care that there's a fire right there, you could still catch cold." Ellie said/
"Ellie, please, don't try to be encouraging." Alex said.
"Alex, I've known Dorothy longer than you have, she was my best friend." Ellie said.
"Ellie, I know, you've said this before." Alex said.
"Alex, I know that we've had our differences in the past, but for Dorothy's sake, let's start over." Ellie said.
Alex stared at Ellie for a moment. It sounded exactly like something Dorothy would say. He smiled and gave a weak chuckle.
"For her sake." Alex said.
"For her sake, and yours." Ellie replied
Alex sighed and gave another weak chuckle.
"Deal." Alex said holding out a hand for Ellie.
Ellie smiled and shook his hand before turning to look behind her. The sound of twigs cracking and rustling in the forest around them, as well as the crackling fire were all that could be heard. Alex sighed and grasped his sword in hand.
"Nothing can attack us as long as the swords remain at the entrances of the tents." Ellie said
"And you would put your faith on that magic one hundred percent?" Alex asked curiously
"Alex, don't be crazy, ninety seven percent at least." Ellie said
"Yes, that makes me feel so much more at ease." Alex said sarcastically.
"You're the one that said magic wasn't the answer to everything." Ellie said
"Well it isn't." Alex said.
"Fair enough." Ellie said.
Alex smiled and hugged Ellie who returned the embrace with chuckle. It was then that they both heard the sound of whimpering. They both looked around only to find Toto sitting in front of them
"Oh, Toto, what's the matter boy?" Ellie asked trying to pick him up only to have him back away.
"Toto's been miserable ever since, well, you know." Alex said.
"Poor little Toto, where's pockets?" Ellie asked curiously.
"Probably only just waking up and realizing Toto isn't in the tent anymore." Alex said.
Not only was Alex right, but he was completely correct as pockets came running out of the tent moments later and tried to tackle Toto, only to get stuck on his back. Alex chuckled and picked up pockets.
"Well Alex, you seem to know Dorothy's animals better that she does." Ellie said.
"Call it the power of deduction." Alex said.
"Oh, look, it's morning." Ellie said pointing to the sunrise.
Alex looked and saw that the sun was indeed beginning to rise. He set pockets down on the ground and got up and stretched. Tilting his head to both sides causing his neck to emit a cracking sound. He then sheathed his sword and offered Ellie a hand. She smiled and accepted it. As Alex pulled her up in to a standing position Ellie looked at the fire. Alex however seemed to know exactly what she was going to say.
"I'll go get some more firewood, you get the cooking pot and stuff." Alex said.
Ellie nodded and immediately ran back towards the tent followed by pockets. Toto however stayed with Alex. Alex smiled and started towards where they had gathered the firewood the day before. As he and Toto were walking and Alex was picking up bits of wood that he found Toto continued to whimper. Alex was sad to see Toto so upset. He wished Dorothy were here so he wouldn't have to see it. After gathering a considerably large armful of wood he returned to the campsite and placed some in the fire.
Meanwhile at the palace.
"So, the crystal is now activated, the dark clouds are swirling, thank Oz, things have managed to go as planned." The jester said turning to Dorothy.
"What would you do if you weren't a puppet? Try and stop me?" the jester asked chuckling
"Stop me." Dorothy couldn't help but repeat aloud
"Atta girl, now, who should I capture? Which of your friends should I capture next?" the jester asked walking up to the puppet.
"Next?" Dorothy found herself repeating.
"Yes, next, should I capture Glinda? Her sister? Locasta? That Alex kid?" the jester said smiling wickedly.
"Alex kid" Dorothy repeated on her own accord.
'Well I could always take your cousins, or the old man, or that girl with the straw man, or Emma, your aunt and uncle, Alex's parents and sister? You know what, I'll let them chose, I'll leave an obvious trap out in two days, and whoever sets it off will be here next." The jester said with a chuckle.
"Here next." Dorothy said.
The jester smiled and walked over to the crystal ball. Immediately it fixed itself on the scene at the campsite.
"Toto, won't stop whimpering, he seems so miserable without Dorothy." came Alex's voice from the crystal
"He must really miss, Dorothy." The jester mumbled to himself.
"It breaks my heart to see Toto in such a state, not even the cats seem to be able to cheer him" the muffled sound of Ellie's voice which sounded like she was trying to talk and eat at the same time.
"Ellie don't talk with your mouth full, it's not polite and it teaches bad habits to the triplets." Came Glinda's voice.
"I just wish Dorothy were here, she'd know what to do about all this, whether or not she had any idea what she was going to do would be anyone's guess." Came aislynn's voice.
"Ace, true as that may be, we were as much encouragement to her as she was to us, we owe it to her to try and figure this out on our own while she's in a state where she can't." Came Alex's voice.
The jester smiled and turned away from the crystal ball causing it to go dark. He had seen Ellie and Alex's conversation earlier that morning. Dorothy on the other hand was still hiding her current state of affairs and the jester was none the wiser, she too had heard the conversation and was glad that Ellie and Alex were trying to get along, she was, however saddened by how miserable Toto was and wished she could be there to make him happy. The jester looked at the puppet which was his most prized possession and he chuckled.
"Like I said before, I wish you could see this, this is all quite amusing." The jester said.
"Quite amusing." Dorothy found herself repeating.
The jester let out another light chuckle and left the room. He knew that in two days he could set up a trap for Dorothy's friends and family. And with the thought of this she began to feel upset and worried. She didn't want any of them to befall the same fate as her, not Alex, not Ellie, not her aunt and uncle, and especially not her cousins. She needed to let the jester know what she thought but at the same time she knew she couldn't. Not without risking her own life, not yet anyways.
Well, Dorothy, what are you going to do? As for the future, who will be the next to be captured? (Not the triplets, that makes for very bad storytelling) will it be the current main trio? (Ellie, Alex, and ace?) The teams of adults (Glinda and Locasta) (Em and henry) (Jenny and Jessica) (Mr. Foreman)? The animals?, Terrance and Emma? Who will it be?