A gentle breeze stirred the warm air and sunlight shone upon the land. Her little sister called her name, but she ignored it. She didn't want to leave. She had escaped and no longer wanted to return to reality. She didn't want to celebrate with her family, as much as she loved them. It wasn't that she didn't care about her town, but something about it all made her uneasy. Besides, it was so nice sitting there under that tree…
The breeze and the sunshine faded as Vella woke up. She decided to not open her eyes; the memories of home were still fresh in her mind and that was how she wanted to keep it. A part of her hoped that she had been dreaming the whole time. Maybe there was a chance that she really was still at home.
She opened her eyes, only to find herself looking at the sparkling emerald walls and Shay's face. For a moment, she questioned what was happening, but as soon as the waking haze faded, she remembered everything that had happened that night.
Careful not to wake Shay, Vella pulled the soft, light green blanket off of her. Theodora must have put it there while she was asleep. She glanced back at the sleeping Shay again and left the room.
The night before, Theodora had said breakfast would be served in one of the common rooms just down the hall. Vella really didn't know where anything was, so she picked a direction and started walking. At the end of the hallway, she found a slightly decorative door.
'This looks promising,' she thought. She opened the door, hoping that she wasn't interrupting anything.
Evanora was mixing various substances together and staring off to her right. Vella couldn't see what she was looking at from the doorway. Evanora noticed Vella, stopped what she was doing and looked up at her.
Vella smiled apologetically. "Sorry! I was looking fo-"
"You want the other end of the hallway," Evanora said, wanting Vella to leave as soon as possible so she could get back to her work.
Vella closed the door silently and started walking the other way down the hall. By this time, Shay was up and walking towards her.
"Wrong way," Vella said, turning Shay around. "Evanora's bedroom is that way and she isn't in the friendliest of moods right now."
The two walked down the long hallway in silence. When they got to the common room, Theodora was already there and waiting for them, although she too looked like she'd just woken up. She smiled at them.
"Good morning you two," she said. "We weren't expecting you up this early; breakfast isn't quite ready. Is there anything in particular that you'd like?"
"Anything but cereal," Shay replied, shuddering. "I cannot take another morning of eating cereal."
Vella looked at him as if he were crazy. "Why…?"
"What?" Shay asked. "It's all my mom fed me. I don't like cereal anymore… well, maybe SPLARGH… Yeah, that stuff was alright…"
"I'm not even going to ask what that was," Vella said. "And I guess I understand. I found some of that stuff while I was on your ship. It smelled nutritious in the worst way possible and I bet it tasted the same way."
"It did," Shay replied. "Wait, why were you smelling my cereal?"
"I-er-accidentally made that little robot on the vacuum drop some… I'm kinda glad I decided not to try it now. I also feel kinda sorry for those maidens I fed it to…"
Evanora walked into the room, about as sour as Vella had seen her earlier. She sat down next to Shay as Theodora helped the staff bring in a few plates.
"Good morning sister," she said.
Evanora looked up at Theodora as if she hadn't processed what she'd said, then put on a fake smile. "Good morning Theodora."
Theodora set a few plates down on the table. "Are you alright?" she asked Evanora, "It seems that as of late you've been quite stressed."
"It's fine, sister," Evanora said. "You needn't worry."
"Well, in any case, I had the staff make your favorite," Theodora replied, finishing setting plates on the table and sitting in her chair.
"Oh, how thoughtful of you sister," Evanora said, her mask of false kindness on once more.
The four of them ate in silence, Evanora mulling over her problems, Theodora not sure how to start a conversation, and Vella and Shay busy with thoughts about home. Theodora finished her breakfast and gave the plates to the staff. Shay and Vella did the same, while Evanora sat there, stuck in her thoughts while her food became cold.
Theodora looked at the two kids and smiled. "Why don't I take you two on a little tour of the Emerald City? I think Evanora would appreciate the space."
The two agreed and went along with Theodora down the streets of the Emerald City. Theodora showed them around and at the end of the tour, the three of them just walked around, talking. Vella and Shay told Theodora about their home (or at least what they could). Theodora gave them a brief lesson on the history of Oz.
"What is that?" Vella asked, interrupting Theodora and Shay's discussion on hugs. She pointed to the sky, where a brightly colored object that looked as though it was falling from the sky.
"I... I don't know..." Theodora replied.
"It looks like... A balloon?" Shay said uncertainly.
The three of them walked out of the city, hoping to see whatever was falling by the time it crashed. They ran through the forest as the object disappeared below the tree line. A splash was heard ahead of them.
Vella, Shay, and Theodora hid behind some plants, watching the crashed object. Memories flashed in Vella's mind and she could see Mog Chothra again, right there crashed in the ocean. She pushed the memories away, seeing what it really was-a hot air balloon crashed in a small lake. A man started crawling out of it and the memories came back. Vella found herself looking at a very hesitant Shay as he stumbled out into the real world. She blinked and was back in Oz, watching a man crawl out of the balloon and flail around as if he was drowning.
Theodora crept out of the bushes to see who the man was. He looked up as she approached.
"Oh, thank goodness," the man said upon seeing Theodora. "I thought I was dead. Unless you're an angel… Am I in heaven?"
Theodora shook her head.
The man lifted his head to the sky. "There is still hope for me! You won't regret this!"
Theodora finally forced out some words. "I… we… Saw you fall from the sky."
"Yes… my balloon hit an… inverted thermal, I-I couldn't compensate… " the man said.
Shay and Vella crept out of the bushes too, going to stand by Theodora. Oz looked at them and his smile faltered.
"Are those your kids?" he asked.
Theodora looked confused for a moment and replied, "No. They, like you, fell out of the sky. I have been trying to help them find a way home."
"Oh thank goodness," Vella thought she heard the man mumble. "So… you're not married?"
Theodora shook her head, still confused.
The man turned toward Vella and Shay. "And you might be?"
"I'm Vella Tartine," Vella said.
"And I'm Shay Volta," Shay added.
"Ah," the man said. "Are you from Kansas as well?"
"Kansas?" Vella asked. The name of the foreign land he spoke of felt odd on her tongue.
"I'll take that as a no," the man said.
"I'd get out of the water if I were you," Theodora interrupted, noticing something moving in and around the water.
"It's actually quite nice…" the man said.
Theodora saw the movements of the small creatures. "I'd be more concerned about the river fairies… their teeth are small, but rather sharp."
"River fairies?" Vella asked, looking at Shay even though she knew he wouldn't have the answer.
Shay just shrugged and shook his head in confusion. "Maybe she means those little creatures."
"River fairies?" The man laughed nervously. "What's a river fairy?"
More of the little creatures gathered together and then swarmed the man. He tried to swat them away, but they were very persistent. After a few minutes and a lot of swatting, the last of the river fairies left the man alone.
"Spiteful little things, aren't they?" Theodora asked, smiling.
The man ignored the question. "Where… Where am I?"
"Where do you think you are?" Theodora asked in response.
"I… I have no idea… This place," he gestured to the world around him. "It's like no place I've ever seen."
Theodora looked at him. "You're in Oz."
"Oz? B-but… that's my name." Theodora's eyes lit up at the man's statement. "Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmanuel Ambroise Diggs… But everyone calls me Oz…"
"That's a lot of names…" Vella whispered, leaning in towards Shay's ear.
Theodora smiled. "I knew it! The king's prophecy was true! He said that a great wizard bearing the name of our land will descend from the heavens and save us all. And here you are, here to claim your throne."
The man looked surprised at the notion. "Wizard?" he asked.
"Yes," Theodora said. "Just like the prophecy says."
An ear-splitting cry filled the air and everyone looked around, eyes wide. And everyone knew that whatever that noise was could only be bad.