When she pushed open the door Melissa found herself momentarily blinded by the light reflecting off the many mirrors and other reflective surfaces. Once adjusted she saw who could only be Lady Gray in the center of the room watching with a curious expression. Dressed in a gown of fancy but clashing fabrics adorned with metal trinkets the group had to collectively force themselves to look at the woman's face.

"Lady Gray?" Melissa asked.

There was half a nod from the blonde, a full minute passed before she spoke, focusing solely on Melissa, "Help me to rise,"

It was an order though spoken softly, meekly almost.

Melissa helped the taller woman to her feet, noting the many rings-also clashing on her hand. Strangely enough, there was also a ruby key on a loop of black ribbon tucked inside the voluminous sleeve.

"Do you know what happened to Christina?" Hoodude asked, stumbling forward.

"We were told you were the only one who does," Added Robecca meeting the woman's steely eyes head-on.

They two were both ignored when the mysterious woman turned her focus back to Melissa, "I think I'll put on something warm," she declared, "Walk with me, your friends can wait here"

With a last glance over her shoulder, Melissa followed behind Lady Gray in pursuit of answers. The many twisting turns were soon lost on her every surface looked the same until they arrived at a long arched hall. Spooked Melissa had to stifle a scream.

They stood in a hall of heads. Heads on shelves behind glass doors. Each more beautiful than the last, redheads, blondes, brunettes, raven-haired beauties, colors she couldn't begin to place.

"I think number four will do this afternoon"

Number four was watching her.

I want to scream, thought Melissa, suppressing a shudder while watching Lady Gray remove her head placing it in a cabinet labeled 8. with nothing else to do Melissa was made to follow the now headless lady who lifted number four-green eyed with cascading raven locks-from the cabinet.

"Well," the head not yet attached to the body asked in a rich voice, "What do you think?"

"I think you're very beautiful," Melissa managed.

"I should hope so," the head replied before firmly clicking into place on the neck, becoming Lady Gray, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"I'm Melissa, we're looking for Christina,"

"Melissa," she said in a way that implied she knew who she was, "Come closer, I don't bite"

Reluctantly she did so, "So what happened to everything?"

"I believe you already know but if I must tell you, the Nome King took all the emeralds back to his mountain and Christina is his prisoner"

Lady Gray quite suddenly grabbed her chin, turning her this way and that, "You have a very peculiar prettiness, different from others in my collection but you aren't quite to my standards yet, I think I'll lock you in the tower until your head is perfect then I'll take it"

"Like heck, you will!" Melissa wrenched herself away only to be seized by the arm, "TIK-TOK!" she shouted her voice carried in the cavernous halls.

"We're coming Melissa," Robecca shouted in reply.

They never did reach her though. Hoodude stumbled, dragging Robecca with him while Tik-Tok froze, his action having run down. So Melissa was dragged upstairs and thrown into the tower where she landed hard against long-forgotten furniture. The doors were slammed and locked trapping her inside.

"Now what am I supposed to do?" Melissa mumbled, dragging herself to her feet.

There was furniture strewn throughout the room, covered in dust, strung with cobwebs, broken. Melissa kept the locations in mind while she paced throughout the room receiving a shock when it became apparent she wasn't alone. A stranger watched her from the tarnished mirror resting against the wall. Letting out a surprised yelp Melissa dropped to the floor, eyes wide as pans while she drew her knees to her chest.

"Who are you?" she breathed, scrambling for composure.

"Richard, and you?"

"Melissa, how...are you..."

"In the mirror? I'm afraid it was all Mira's doing," Richard explained, "Lady Gray" he clarified when he saw the confusion in Melissa's eyes, "I was injured leading the Nome armies away from the city, knocked out cold, I woke up to Mira crooning about saving me"

"Why the mirror?"

"You say how the manor is entirely reflective? By trapping me behind the glass she ensured I couldn't escape her grasp" he groaned shifting to reveal an injured knee that was shoddily wrapped with the remains of his sleeves.

"You're still hurt"

"She says she'll heal me if I stay by her side, I'd rather run her through she's always been this way"

"Where did she get so many heads?" Melissa choked out the question, still squeamish.

"She's a dulahan, related in some way to Grace Bloodgood herself but Mira is obsessed with perfection so she began reaping heads when the Nome King began his attacks-"

"-That's why there were so many headless statues"

"Exactly, Mira was banished not long before this when it was discovered she was messing around with black magic"

Melissa cringed, "You know if she put you in there then logically there has to be a way out"

"I've tried, it's hopeless-"

"You've tried, I haven't," Melissa cut in, getting to her feet.

First, she put the mirror upright, walking a full circle around it before inspecting the frame which was as marred as everything else in the room.

"Can you stand?"

"I can try," With a grimace, Richard rose to his feet, steadying himself against his glass prison while watching Melissa continue her mirror inspection.

"There just has to be something!" she declared, one hand coming to rest on the glass while she racked her brain for ideas.

Richard gasped with shock, grabbing her attention.

"What is it?"

He said nothing simply staring at her hand against the glass.

Melissa followed his gaze realizing for the first time that the glass was rippling under her touch. The glass continued to move as if it were water. Finally, after seeing no ill effects Melissa put her hand through the glass.

"Take it," Melissa softly urged the stunned Richard.

Slowly, Richard's shaking hand met her waiting one, "What now?" he asked.

"Now, my other hand and I'll pull you out"

"Are-Are you sure it will work?"

"We won't know until we try," Melissa replied earnestly offering her other hand, "Shall we?"

"Yes," and he took her other hand, both ignoring the tingles that shot up their arms brushing it off as nothing more than the mirror's magic.

Without so much as a count, Melissa pulled sending them both crashing to the floor.

Richard was quickly on his feet, keenly aware of his disheveled appearance, only to fall back onto the floor.

"Let's clean that up," Melissa indicated his knee, "Here," she extended a hand to help him up, "Steady now, lean on me I can take it" she coaxed helping him to the nearest sofa.

"I am indebted to you," Richard managed, coughing on the dust that flew from the sofa cushions, "Thank you, Melissa"

"Don't mention it"

Richard watched Melissa slowly unwrap his injured knee, ever mindful about the pain he was in. eventually the last shred of fabric fell away to reveal a nasty cut and burn combination that made him grimace.

"It needs to be cleaned"

Feeling around her pocket, Melissa recovered the glass bottle of water that had been included in her lunch earlier that day. Setting it aside she looked for old clothing, something to use as a rag. Finding none she resolved to tear one of her dress's under layers.

"Melissa-"

"It's just an old work dress, there'll be others, Now sit still this will sting"

Wincing, he kept himself focused on Melissa and not the task she was doing, "I've told you why I was in the mirror but what does Mira want with you?"

"My head, not going to let her have it though"

"So you have a plan of escape?"

"Not yet but I'll think of one"

"Will you?"

"I may just have to climb from the window"

"Five stories up?"

"If that's what it takes"

"You are either very brave or reckless"

"I might just be both"

"A dangerous combination"

"There, I'm all done," Melissa stood.

Surprised, Richard glanced at his knee finding it clean and tightly wrapped. By the time he looked up, Melissa had resumed pacing, scanning the things around her. There was something about how she carried herself, something about the way her face scrunched with concentration. Something he couldn't place.

"I wonder what she did with the others?"

"Others?" he echoed, "You came with more people?"

"In a sense,"

"Well, if they aren't up here with the three of us, Mira means to enchant them"

"Three?"

"Jack," Richard explained, "He's somewhere over there"

Curiosity piqued, Melissa squeezed around some broken furniture to a back cranny of the tower where a pumpkin-headed being lay with a joyful smile carved upon its face. Jauntily dressed in clothes of purple and pink.

"Mom?" it asked, turning its head to see her better, "Mom, is that you?"

"No, sorry"

"Oh," Jack sounded crestfallen, "I thought my Mom had come back"

"What happened to her?"

"I don't know, one day she was putting me together the next thing I remember is Mira remarking I'd make a good pie"

"And how are you alive?"

"Mira thought to try some powder of life she found"

"Powder of Life?"

"You sprinkle it on something and the thing comes to life"

"Does she have any more of it?"

"If she does it'll be in the storage closet across from her original head along with every other magical thing she's 'acquired'" Richard interjected.

"If I may ask a favor," Jack resumed speaking, "Would you mind checking my head for signs of spoiling? I've been alive such a short while and I'm afraid of spoiling before I've seen anything of the world"

Melissa inspected Jack's head while Richard tied his limbs back on. Once done Richard set him upright while Melissa began her pacing yet again, "Richard do you know if anything else is in that storage closet?"

"The Ruby Slippers are in there, I've seen them while hiding in the mirror"

"The Ruby who to the what now?" Melissa blanched, confused.

"The Ruby Slippers are as important to Oz as the Silver Shoes, they're made of the same magic but no one's been able to wield them, not even Christina so they've sat guarded in the palace but Mira took them when the city was invaded because she thought they were too pretty to pass up when they rejected her she chucked them into the closet. I believe she plans to gift them to the Nome King"

"That's not good but it gives me an idea"

…...

When night had fallen, Jack-being tall and long-limbed-managed to unlock the tower doors which Melissa pushed open with little effort. Wordlessly the trio began moving through the dead-silent halls.

"Are you sure you know where this closet is?"

"Positive"

When they reached the landing they found Hoodude and Robecca tied to a column while Tik-Tok stood motionless as ever.

"Where's Billina?"

"Over here, Melissa" Billina hopped down from her hiding spot, "Who are they?"

"This is Jack and Richard"

"Richard is that really you, I am ashamed to say I didn't recognize you," Robecca admitted.

"I know I'm not in the best state," Richard replied, "Until a few hours ago I was stuck in a mirror"

"As fun as this conversation is," Melissa spoke up her voice scarcely above a whisper while she untied her companions, "Robecca, Hoodude, wind Tik-Tok, take Jack and get the heck out of here, go into the woods and don't stop for anything, Turns out Lady Gray commands the wheelers"

"But, what about you?"

"Don't worry about us, Hoodude," Richard assured, "Melissa and I will be right behind you"

…...

"That's her original head?" Melissa gagged.

The Head stored in cabinet one was deathly pale with sunken eyes rimmed purple, mousy hair stuck upright while an angry scar cut a zig-zag from upper cheek to jaw.

"Yeah, as her evil powers grew she was transformed along with them"

Directly across from the head was an almost unnoticeable door.

"Are you sure you want to go in here, Melissa?" Richard asked grasping the handle, "There's no telling what Mira keeps in here, I could only see a few things"

"I'm certain"

"Here goes nothing"

The door opened soundlessly. Just as the tower there were objects tossed everywhere. Wands of all kinds, books covered with dust. All manner of baubles. The lone shelf in the space had smaller objects scattered across it, including the powder of life and most surprisingly Christina's basket which was knocked upside down.

"I don't suppose we could use it?" Melissa looked to Richard questioningly.

"Better with you than with Mira"

The basket on her arm, Melissa dropped the powder into it.

"Where are the-"

Her question was cut short by a bright ruby light Melissa bent to collect the shoes from the floor before putting them in the basket.

"Ready to make a break for it?" she looked to Richard finding him in the middle of gathering weapons, "Mira disarmed me, these are mine" came the explanation.

"Ready?"

"After you"

…...

They slipped away, thieves in the night, tramping through the forest eventually rejoining the others just as the sky was beginning to gray with morning light.

"Do you suppose we're far enough away to stop?" Melissa looked to Richard who though silent was struggling with his injury.

"We have to," Robecca declared, "For Richard's sake"

"Agreed," Hoodude nodded.

Swiftly they made camp under some trees grown closely together. Tik-Tok took Jack to hunt for kindling while Robecca helped Melissa scour for berries. While completing this task they were surprised by the sudden arrival of a large tiger with purple stripes.

Robecca backed up while Melissa screamed with surprise. The tiger's paw was the size of her head.

"Owwwww," the cat dropped its head into its paws, "Please don't do that"

"You can talk?" Melissa questioned, still backing away.

"Yes"

Not surprising, Melissa thought to herself, heart returning to normal. When she looked to Robecca she found the metal girl brandishing a fallen tree branch in defense though she lowered it, watching Melissa warily speak with the beast.

"Do you that is, are you going to eat us?"

"Oh, I could never! My conscious would never allow it," the tiger replied, dismayed, "I shall forever be hungry for no matter when I eat I'll always get hungry again"

"Everyone does," Melissa reassured, "At least I do"

"But you eat harmless things, so it doesn't matter," replied the Tiger. "For my part, I'm a savage beast, and have an appetite for all sorts of poor little living creatures, from a chipmunk to fat babies."

"Babies?" Melissa recoiled.

"I have never eaten one, I cannot," promised the tiger.

"Why did you scare us so?" Robecca demanded, with a tentative step forward.

"I wondered if you might share your berries? There aren't many things to eat with the war happening around me"

Shakily, Melissa scooped a handful from the basket holding it out to the tiger who-mindful of his teeth-greedily devoured the offering before licking his chops clean.

"Thank you"

"You're welcome," Melissa replied, this tiger was nothing more than a large house cat like the ones that were kept in the orphanage to hunt mice, "you're all alone aren't you?"

"You could tell"

"I know what alone looks like," Melissa somberly replied, "I think you should stay with us"

"Can I?"

"If you don't eat any of us"

"I won't," the tiger bowed its head, "I promise"

"Do you have a name?"

"No, I never have had one"

"Maybe I can give you one"

"Would you really?"

"As soon as I find one that fits"

"Come, let's head back to camp," Robecca dropped her branch weapon.

…...

Richard was put on high alert when the tiger arrived but he couldn't do anything, falling on his backside upon attempting to jump to his feet. But Melissa walked alongside the great beast with a hand on its back, the basket swinging from her other arm.

"We couldn't find much," Robecca explained, handing him a bundle of wild berries but it's plenty for you and Melissa to share"

"Thank you, Robecca"

"Where do we go from here?" Billina clucked.

"Gray said The Nome King is holding Christina as his prisoner," Melissa recalled.

"The Nome King's mountain is in the middle of a fallen kingdom, it's a wild country where all the forgotten horrors are said to roam" Richard gravely replied.

"But we must rescue Christina!" Hoodude slammed his fist to the ground, "Or Oz will meet the same fate"

"Then We're headed to Ev"

…...

"You called, Your Majesty?"

"Where's The Keeper gone?"

"She's headed our way with a small army"

"WHAT?"

…...

Wear the shoes.

Wear the shoes.

The shoes.

Melissa spun this way and that trying to pinpoint where the voice came from only to encounter the ruby slippers pulsing with a pulsing red glow. Brighter and brighter blinding her with its light.

Wear the shoes and find me!

...

Well, that was quite the chapter!

What you expected the scene from the movie? No, my friends, this is my story so rest assured this isn't the last we've seen of Mira Gray.

Please review!