(Deadly Guessing Game)

*October 22nd, 1905*

*Nome Kingdom*

Everyone stood in shock as they had just heard Nome King's words while Ozma remained silent and thoughtful as she looked over at Dorothy and the others.

"Ozma, are you sure you want to do this and what if we fail?" Dorothy had spoken out to her friend in a tone of concern while Ozma gave Dorothy a warm smile.

"We must not fail, We've all come a long distance to save the Royal Family of Ev and we will save them and with that, I accept the Nome King's challenge" Ozma had responded back in a motivated tone of voice as this made Nome King smile gleefully.

"Perfect! You have eleven guesses and if you fail then you shall become a part of my collection, forever but please follow me to my ornament room" Nome King had spoken out in a joyful tone of voice as he and everyone else proceeded to walk towards the door where the room was currently at.

"Everyone waits here while Ozma enters the room and NO cheating" Nome King had spoken out to everyone while waving his hand to reveal another door which led to the room.

"Good luck! Take your time as well, okay?" Scarecrow had advised his friend in a concerned tone of voice while Ozma smiled back at her friends and gave a thumbs up.

"I got this! I won't allow the pressure to get the best of me so you guys stay put for the time being" Ozma had spoken back to Scarecrow before she turned around to enter the ornament room and it was quite beautiful as she could also hear the door closing behind her.

Ozma found herself in a splendid hall that was more beautiful and grand than anything she had ever beheld. The ceilings were composed of great arches that rose far above her head, and all the walls and floors were of polished marble exquisitely tinted in many colors. Thick velvet carpets were on the floor and heavy silken draperies covered the arches leading to the various rooms of the palace. The furniture was made of rare old woods richly carved and covered with delicate satins, and the entire palace was lighted by a mysterious rosy glow that seemed to come from no particular place but flooded each apartment with its soft and pleasing radiance.

"This room is quite beautiful but I must focus on finding the Ev family" Ozma had spoken out while walking across the room as she observed all of the ornaments that the Nome King had kept and they were so many unique ornaments such as vases, figures of men, women, animals and other such marvelous things and they were made from plenty of material such as china, metals, glass, stones, marbles and other such things.

"Okay, I got eleven guesses so I must really think this through and not risk losing this game" Ozma had spoken out to herself while walking across the room until stumbling upon an ornament of a woman which caught her curiosity.

"I'm assuming this must be it.." Ozma had spoken out once more as she touched the ornament; however, nothing happened as Ozma was down to ten guesses which surprised her.

"I guess that wasn't it, I wish there was some type of hint to guessing the correct ornaments.." Ozma had spoken out to herself once more as she continued to walk across the room until stumbling upon a beautiful pillow ornament which prompted the girl to touch it.

"Ev!" Ozma simply uttered out in hopes of the ornament turning back into one of the Royal Family of Ev; sadly, nothing changed thus rendering Ozma's chances into being nine more which further surprised the girl.

"No way, I've already wasted my two chances and I can't allow myself to waste anymore but there's just so many ornaments.." Ozma had thought to herself while observing the ornaments with great concentration.

"Think, there was to be a sign to what ornament they could be? Is it small? Bigger? Or something else?! Think! Think!" Ozma had spoken out to herself as she could feel the pressure slowly building while she continued to walk across the room until stumbling upon a china lamb which piqued her interest as she began to touch it.

"Ev! This has to be it, I just know it!" Ozma had spoken out in hopes of her prediction being successful, sadly, the china lamb remained still thus rendering Ozma's chances into being eight more.

"N-No way, I did not expect this to be quite challenging. I should be able to feel their presence yet I can't.." Ozma had spoken out in defeat as she could feel herself sweating from the pressure as her heart was slowly beating and with that, the remaining seven guesses were unsuccessful as Ozma tried to touch the seven ornaments she picked only for each attempt to fail as the girl was now in her final chance.

"If only there was a hint! Then I'll be able to save the family! There's gotta be something I can work with, SOMETHING" Ozma had spoken out in a tone of frustration while walking across the rooms once more as she was stuck in her thoughts in regards to the situation that she was currently in.

"Just remain calm, I can't allow the Nome King to get the best of me, I must carefully look at each ornament.." Ozma had spoken out while taking deep breaths until she stumbled upon a lion ornament and Ozma knew that she must take her chance or else she'll lose.

"Please let this be the correct one and if not, I hope my dear friends will continue where I failed at…" Ozma had spoken out while reaching out for the ornament in hopes of being correct; sadly, Ozma was incorrect as the room went dead silent and with that, Nome King had gained a new prize and that was a beautiful green grasshopper ornament that was once Ozma of Oz.

The Nome King had watched from his throne with a smile on his face as he began to speak.

"Next" Nome King had spoken out in a joyful tone of voice as this had shocked Dorothy and the others.

"Has she failed?" Tik-Tok asked in a curious tone of voice while everyone seemed to have nodded their heads in confirmation.

"Failed?! That's impossible?! She's Ozma, right?! How can this be possible!" Dorothy had spoken out in denial as she hadn't taken the news well while Tin Woodman had given her reinsurance.

"I'm afraid it's true, my friend. It seems that the guessing game is gonna be more challenging than we think" Tin Woodman had spoken out in hopes of cheering Dorothy up as the girl began to speak.

"I'll get Ozma back! I'll go next! I refuse to allow anymore of the people I love be turned into ornaments!" Dorothy had spoken back to her friend in a tone of motivation; however, Tin Woodman ignored his friend's words as he knew what to do next.

"I'll go next and as Ozma's friend and newly commander in chief, I must follow after her and rescue her, okay?" Tin Woodman had spoken back to his friend in a serious tone of voice as this made Dorothy smile back in hopes of her friend being successful.

"Okay, you win; however, you better win the game for us, okay? Remember to take your time as well" Dorothy had advised her friend as she had seen him walking towards the room while Scarecrow began to speak.

"Be careful, old friend. We'll be rooting for you from the outside, okay?" Scarecrow had spoken out to his friend in hopes to further motivate him as this made Tin Woodman smile.

"I will and besides, I have friends and a family to save so don't give up on me, okay?" Tin Woodman had spoken back to his friend while giving a smile and thumbs up as he went inside of the ornament room while the doors closed behind him.

Many minutes had passed as the wait was rather agonizing as Dorothy and her friends waited for Tin Woodman to return as it felt like hours.

"I hope Tin Woodman is okay, I know he's taking his time but I can still feel anxiety for him.." Dorothy had spoken out in concern while Billina nodded her head in agreement.

"I agree! Things aren't looking too good and once Tin Woodman loses than all is lost since you are just a girl while Scarecrow is just a man of straw!" Billina had spoken back in agreement while this made Dorothy feel offended at her comments.

"Don't say that! I can take care of myself just fine and Scarecrow is a very smart man, a very smart man indeed" Dorothy had clapped back while this could be heard by Scarecrow.

"She's right, If Tin Woodman were to lose then I shall use my brain to ensure that everyone is saved" Scarecrow had spoken out while this made Dorothy smile.

"See?! Even Scarecrow knows that he's smart!" Dorothy had spoken out to Billina while the red hen rolled her eyes at this.

"Well, don't blame me if everyone gets turned into ornaments!" Billina had spoken back in an annoyed tone of voice as their conversation was interrupted by the Nome King who had come out from the room with a very happy expression on his face.

"Ha, ha, ha! He, he, he! Ho, ho, ho! Tin Woodman has failed! The little rust bucket started to weep after guessing wrong and he turned into an ornament! What a crybaby!" Nome King had spoken out in joy while wiping the tears from his face due to his laughter as this shocked everyone in the room.

"N-No way.." Scarecrow had uttered out in shock as the news had surprised him while Lion and Hungry Tiger were shocked as well.

"Oh dear! It's all over! He's failed! What shall we do! If i'm gonna be turned into an ornament than at least give me something to eat!" Hungry Tiger had spoken out in a tone of worry while Dorothy grew more and more frustrated.

"Tin Woodman is not a crybaby! He's got more heart than you'll ever have! I don't understand why you have to insult him!" Dorothy had spoken out in righteous anger as this surprised Nome King as his response was him laughing once more.

"Silly girl! I'm just being honest, that's all but would you like to go next? You can save your friend as quickly as possible.." Nome King had spoken back to Dorothy while having a grin on his face as Dorothy nodded her head; however, Scarecrow quickly intervened.

"I'll go! I was once the King of Oz before Ozma was restored to the throne so It should make sense for me to go next and I'll use my brains to save everyone in the room" Scarecrow had spoken out while walking towards his friend and Nome King as this made him smile.

"I see, well then, follow me!" Nome King had spoken back to Scarecrow while seeing Dorothy talking to him.

"No! I'll go! I can't lose anymore of my friends! I just can't!" Dorothy had pleaded to her friend; however, Scarecrow only smiled back as he knew what he had to do.

"No, allow me to go. Even if we all lose then I'm sure Nome King will allow you to go under a certain deal, that I can tell you but also, you saved my life, TWICE and now I must repay the bargain and do the same for you, okay?" Scarecrow had spoken back while turning around towards the doors as he was ready to guess the ornaments while Dorothy nodded her head in agreement.

"Okay, but please don't lose. Use the brains that you have! I believe in you!" Dorothy had advised her friend as she saw Nome King and Scarecrow walking towards the door that led to the ornament room as it closed right behind them.

"Don't worry about me, Dorothy. I shall return with everyone including the Ev family, that I can promise you.." Scarecrow had thought to himself as he and Nome King continued to walk to the ornament room thus leaving his fate in the hands of the Nome King.