(The Way to Butterfield)
*Author's Note: A new arc begins! This arc is loosely based on the fifth book. "The Road to Oz"*
*June 15th, 1906*
*Kansas*
Five months passed since Dorothy's last adventure and, since then, Dorothy's fourteenth birthday, which Dorothy found to be quite enjoyable had come and passed, and speaking of birthdays, Ozma's birthday was approaching in just five days and Dorothy was invited to the event.
"It's quite hot today, isn't that right, Toto.." Dorothy spoke out while using a towel to wipe sweat from her forehead while looking over to see a strange man looking over the wooden fence which caught her attention.
"I wonder who he could be? He seems quite lost.." Dorothy thought to herself before getting up from her chair as she walked towards where the man was standing up.
"Excuse me, are you lost, sir? Perhaps I could assist you if you don't mind." Dorothy asked the strange man in a formal voice; however, this man wasn't an ordinary man but rather a man with a shaggy appearance due to the amount of old rags he wore.
The man had an oat straw in his mouth, which he chewed slowly as if it tasted good; but it didn't. There was an apple tree beside the house, and some apples had fallen to the ground and the Man picked one up and rubbed it against his old, shaggy clothes until it became as shiny as a polished shoe.
"Oh yes, I'm quite lost. I don't know the directions to Butterfield and I was wondering if someone like you could help me.." The Man asked Dorothy while looking around rather cautiously while Dorothy was unsure of what she heard.
"Butterfield? I'm pretty sure there isn't such a town in Kansas but it wouldn't hurt to try, right?" Dorothy responded to the man while seeing his face turning into one of joy.
"That's the spirit! It shouldn't be too long so don't get too worried or anything" The man spoke to Dorothy once more as he began to laugh to himself much to Dorothy's dismay.
"Such an odd man but he seems nice so I guess I should help him.." Dorothy thought to herself before running back to her farmhouse while Toto followed her along.
"I'll run back to my home and get my sunbonnet so please wait here, okay?" Dorothy spoke to the man while entering her home as the man watched with great interest.
"What a nice girl. Maybe things won't be so lonely after all.." The man thought to himself while walking over to the apple tree that was growing near Dorothy's home and he picked three apples and placed them in his big big big pockets while looking at the house once more to see Dorothy coming out along with Toto.
"I'm back. I hope you're not some weirdo trying to take advantage of me or anything of the sort. I'm protected by very good people so don't push your luck, also, my name is Dorothy Gale if you are wondering.." Dorothy warned the man with a cautious tone this was met with the strange man chuckling to himself before speaking once more.
"Don't worry. I'm nothing of the sort! Just your common old Shaggy Man. That's my name by the way so don't forget it" Shaggy Man responded causally while chuckling to himself.
"Okay, and I was just making sure and remember, any funny business you attempt to try with me or Toto will cause me to turn back home but we should try to find this Butterfield place" Dorothy spoke to Shaggy Man once more as she and Shaggy Man proceeded to walk away from the farmhouse.
The pair began to walk as Dorothy climbed the fence leading to the grassy plains of Kansas while Shaggy Man followed suit; however, when he tried to climb he fell over on the ground.
"You sure are clumsy! Are your feet tired? It seems like you've walked all day" Dorothy spoke to Shaggy Man while walking over to help him up on his feet.
"Not necessarily, Dorothy. It's just my old whiskers! They seem to get very tired in this warm weather. I wish it would snow more.." Shaggy Man responded while he and Dorothy resumed their adventure while Toto followed them along.
"Snow? That would be horrible since it would spoil my Uncle Henry's crops and if that happens then we'll be poor and I don't wanna think about that since he also still owes mortgage money after taking a loan to rebuild the farmhouse" Dorothy spoke to Shaggy Man once more as she looked over to see a very long lane which was quite twisty with many turns.
"It won't snow, I guess but is this the lane? You seem to know everything around here so you should have the answer" Shaggy Man asked Dorothy curiously while observing the strange lane.
"I believe so. I don't recall this road being here but if it's the correct way then maybe we shall take it" Dorothy responded while she and Shaggy Man began to walk the twisty path before stumbling upon two normal roads thus leaving the pair to choose once more.
"Two roads, I see! Tell me, which way do we go? Left or right? My hunch tells me to go right but what's right in going right, right?!" Shaggy Man asked Dorothy curiously while looking at the right and left sides of the road. Dorothy was also confused at what she was seeing but she was also used to such things by this point.
"I do not know. I don't remember seeing two roads but I guess we should go left or something?" Dorothy answered in a confused manner before she, Toto, and Shaggy Man took the left path in hopes of reaching Butterfield.
"How old are you? You seem wise for your age. Most of the folks back in my town are quite scatterbrained! So meeting someone like you is quite a refreshment!" Shaggy Man asked Dorothy while scratching his head as he walked the path with Dorothy.
"Me? Well, I'm fourteen years old and I certainly get that a lot from most of my peers.." Dorothy answered politely while Shaggy Man chuckled to himself before speaking once more.
"Fourteen? Quite young to be cursed with such knowledge, right? But as long as you don't learn something you'll regret then it's all good in my book!' Shaggy Man spoke back while laughing to himself once more much to Dorothy's dismay.
"I guess, but, are you SURE you want to go to Butterfield? We seem lost and I don't know if we can find it before it gets dark" Dorothy spoke out while staring at Shaggy Man who stopped in his tracks and turned back to face the girl.
"Oh heavens no! I want directions to AVOID Butterfield. I should have told you sooner but I would have gotten lost or otherwise, ended up in Butterfield.." Shaggy Man responded casually while Dorothy had a poker face.
"S-Seriously? What's the point in telling me directions to avoid a place when it's best to not even go there to begin with?" Dorothy asked Shaggy Man in a rather annoyed tone while placing her hands on her hips as she waited for a response.
"I'd figured you might have known the directions to Butterfield and shown me the way so I could avoid going there but it seems you were intent on going to Butterfield so I had just gone with the flow" Shaggy Man responded while scratching his beard in confusion.
"Well, I guess it can't be helped but why do you want to avoid Butterfield in the first place? Did you anger the wrong people?" Dorothy asked Shaggy Man curiously while sitting down on the ground along with Toto who was wagging his tail happily.
"No, my child. A man who lives in Butterfield owes me fifteen cents and I fear that if I was to visit that town. He'll pay me the money.." Shaggy Man responded in a more serious tone while he sat down across from the young girl.
"Why not? If someone owes you or promises to give you something then that person should pay their end of the bargain" Dorothy spoke to Shaggy Man once more while her words were met with the man shaking his head in denial.
"Money. It makes people too proud and full of themselves and I don't want to be either of those things. All I want is for people to love me and that is why I have my trusty love magnet" Shaggy Man responded while pulling out a rather dull metal shaped like a horseshoe.
"I see, that's honestly a beautiful response and if I may ask, what is the love magnet exactly?" Dorothy asked Shaggy Man curiously while observing the metal object with great interest.
"The Love Magnet can make anybody feel loved by everyone if they own it. It's quite marvelous, isn't it?" Shaggy Man responded while Dorothy nodded with great interest.
"How wonderful and how did you gain such an object?" Dorothy asked Shaggy Man with a genuine interest in her voice as she waited for an answer from the man.
"It was given to me by an Eskimo during my visits to the Sandwich Islands; however, there aren't sandwiches on the island so don't drool on your dog now" Shaggy Man responded while Dorothy chuckled to herself while letting out a smile.
"You seem nice. You have positive energy in you. I like that" Dorothy spoke out while getting up which was followed by Shaggy Man doing the same thing.
"Why thank you! The love magnet must be working if it's causing you to say such wonderful things to me.." Shaggy Man spoke out while putting the love magnet back in his raggy clothes which was followed by Dorothy still smiling at him as she walked closer to him.
"Maybe, maybe not but we can't stay here forever and I also can't find a way back home so it seems I'm stuck with you for the time being; however, we can go to a place where many magical things happen and where wishes come true and my friend's birthday is also coming up as well.." Dorothy spoke to Shaggy Man with a face mixed with confidence and a bit of smugness but still kind nonetheless.
"And what place shall that be, young one?" Shaggy Man responded with curiosity while seeing Dorothy's smile grow even wonder while she began to speak out.
"The merry old Land of Oz! I helped you in finding directions to avoid Butterfield so it's only best if you accompany me on the way to Oz" Dorothy responded while Toto barked and wagged his tail which made Shaggy Man smile despite not knowing such a place.
"Why not? It's fair to help you in return and fear not as well, I shall protect you from whatever comes our way!" Shaggy Man responded to Dorothy in full agreement which made the girl smile.
"Good and just in case things go south, I'm also protected by a very good person so consider that to be your extra help.." Dorothy spoke to Shaggy Man once more while touching her forehead which had an almost but still not fully complete star on it which captivated Shaggy Man.
"That sounds like a plan! We should get going now. I'll ensure that you will be taken to Oz in one piece but, let's hit the road!" Shaggy Man spoke to Dorothy once more in joy while walking forward while Toto followed him although it was the smell of his food that made the dog follow him.
"I guess this is the start of another strange adventure. I should try to head back and call Ozma but I'm already lost and I don't wanna risk getting even more lost or maybe a part of me likes going on these adventures..who knows.." Dorothy thought to herself while chuckling at her thoughts before running to catch up to Toto and Shaggy Man.
Thus begins yet another adventure for Dorothy Gale and what trials and mishaps await her, Toto, and Shaggy Man...
