*Author's note*

Next chapter is all ready to go for you guys. Now I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, I promise the next chapter will be longer. So yeah I don't really have anything else to say except just enjoy :)

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"Go away?" we all said to each other sadly.

"Looks—like we came a long way for nothing." Scarecrow said in a sad tone. My heart began to break and tears formed in my eyes.

"And I was so happy." I choked out as I set myself down on the bottom step. "I thought I was on my way home!" I wept. The guys surrounded me with Scarecrow to my left, Tinman to my right and Lion behind me.

"Oh don't cry (Y/n). We'll get you to see the Wizard somehow." Tinman comforted me as Scarecrow took my handkerchief from my basket and dried my eyes.

"We sure will." I took the handkerchief from Scarecrow and dabbed my eyes as I wept.

"Auntie Em was so good to me. And I-I took her for granted. R-running away and—and hurting her fe-feelings." Scarecrow rubbed my back comfortingly, while Tinman rubbed my arm up and down softly. "I was told before I got here that she was sick. She-she maybe dying. And-and it's all my fa-fault!" I felt Lion nuzzle the back of my right shoulder comfortingly. His head soon rested on top of it allowing me to cry into his mane. "I'll never forgive myself if she dies.....never. Never n-never!" I cried as I buried my face into his mane.

Lion gently purred lovingly while Tinman rubbed my back and Scarecrow took hold of my hand giving it comforting pats and squeezes. It was then we heard crying from behind us. A loud, sniffling sorrow-filled cry.

When we turned around there was the guard looking out of a small square door that stood a quarter up the door. Tears were pouring down his face at a frantic pace and he cried out.

"Oh please don't cry anymore! I'll get you into the Wizard somehow! Come on! I had an Aunt Em myself once!" he then closed the door still sobbing.

We all looked at each other happily that's when Lion shifted back to his human/hybrid self and both he and Scarecrow helped me up as the large doors now began to open to reveal a long and dark hallway. The green archways giving it an eerie sense, but the four of us stood side by side as we slowly walked ahead.

We got maybe halfway down the hallway when Lion spoke up suddenly.

"Wait a minute guys. I was just thinking—maybe the Wizard wouldn't want to see me. I-I better just wait outside." He went to walk away but Scarecrow and I stopped him.

"What's the matter?" asked Scarecrow.

"Oh he's just scared again." Tinman said slightly shaking out of fear. At this point we were all scared. With this dark hallway and not knowing what the Wizard even looks like, this is a pretty scary situation.

"But Lion don't you know that the Wizard is going to give you some courage?"

"But—but what if I can't speak when I see him?" he asked me worriedly.

"Then we'll ask him for you."

"No. No, no, no, no, no, no I'll just wait outside." He tried to sneak away again. Scarecrow and I stopped him again and I pleaded to him.

"Why? Why?"

"Because I'm—still scared to talk to him!" I patted his hand comfortingly and we continued onward. We only got in a few steps till Lion suddenly yelped in fear and jumped.

"What happened?" asked Tinman.

"Somebody pulled my tail." Lion whimpered out. As Tinman and I looked back to see if something or someone had grabbed Lion's tail, that's when Scarecrow stated.

"Oh you did it yourself!"

"I did no—oh." And there in his hands was his tail. Scarecrow helped Lion let go of his tail and put it behind his back.

"Come on." He said as he took Lion's right hand and I took his left. I then grabbed ahold of Tinman's hand and the four of us took a deep breath in before exhaling and taking a step forward.

"COME. FORWARD!!" a powerful voice echoed as the doors ahead of us slowly opened up.

"Tell me when it's over." Lion said as we all continued to walk towards the open doors.

We now stood in a grand room that seemed taller than the hallway stood. Ahead of us was a steep stairway and right on top of the platform was a throne but no one was sitting in it. Instead a large intimidating wall with iron spikes stood behind the throne and soon blowing out from the ground was fire and smoke.

Soon appearing like a ghost was a giant green head of what almost resembled a goblin or troll of some kind appeared before us as the smoke soon turned red and he spoke to us.

"I. Am. Oz! The great and Powerful. Who are you?" the four of us were shaking in our spots as none of us replied to him. "Who are you!?" the Great Oz demanded again as fire once again erupted out from the ground.

I gulped and stepped out between Lion and Tinman and gave a gentle curtsy.

"I am (Y/n) Gale......the small and—witty. We've come to ask you—"

"SILENCE!!" The Great Oz commanded out as fire and red smoke exploded before me. I jumped back and ran back towards Tinman who held me in his arms.

"Oh Jiminy Crickets!" I whimpered fearfully as I trembled in his arms.

"The Great and Powerful Oz knows why you have come. Step forward....Tinman!" Tinman let out a fearful gasp but he slowly walked towards the Wizard shaking and clanking loudly. "You dare to come to me begging for a Heart. You clinking, clanking, clattering, collection of caliginous junk?!" Tinman continued to shake in fear.

"Yes sir. Uhh yes your honor. You see, a while back; we were walking down the yellow brick road and—"

"QUIET!!" The Wizard roared which caused the Tinman to come running back towards me. "And you! Scarecrow!" Scarecrow jumped in his rags as he tripped over his feet walking towards the Wizard to bow and grovel before him. "You have the audacity to come to me for a brain! You billowing bale of bovine fodder!"

Scarecrow yelped as he began to stammer.

"Y-yes your honor. I-I-I mean your excellency. I-I-I mean....your wizardness!"

"Enough groveling!" The Wizard growled as fire erupted again. Scarecrow jumped back and started back towards us. "And you, Lion!" I heard a squeak come out of his mouth but I gently gave him a nudge and he slowly walked towards the Wizard. "Well!?"

Lion then fell backwards and fainted in shock.

I let out a gasp as Scarecrow, Tinman and I ran up to him. As Scarecrow began to fan him trying to wake him up, I turned back to the Great Oz and snapped at him.

"You outta be ashamed of yourself! Frightening him like that when he came to you for help!"

"SILENCE YOUNG WHIPPERSNAPPER! THE BENEVOLENT OZ HAS EVERY INTENTION OF GRANTING YOUR REQUESTS."

"Huh what? What'd he say? What was that? Did he just say what I thought he said?" Lion soon woke up saying. Both Scarecrow and Tinman helped him up before Tinman helped me up.

"But first you must prove yourselves worthy by performing a very small task. Bring me the broomstick of the Warlock of the West." The Wizard continued.

What?! That's no small task! That's practically impossible! We'd have better luck going to the 4 Fae Queens and getting a lock of their hair than getting the warlock's broomstick.

"But—but if we do that, we'd have to kill him to get it." Tinman said nervously.

"Bring me his broomstick, and I shall grant you your requests. Now go."

"But—but what if he kills us first?" Lion asked.

"I SAID GO!!!" The Wizard exclaimed furiously as fire erupted once again and soon we all jumped in fear and quickly raced out of the room, before getting out of Emerald City all together.

"Bring him the broomstick of the Warlock of the West. Easier said than done!" Scarecrow muttered angrily.

"But it's the only way he'll get us what we want." Tinman said.

"It's impossible to get through the Warlock's forest without being spotted. He has guards literally everywhere around the forest that surrounds his castle." An idea suddenly came to me.

I looked down at my arms at the bracelets as well as the tattooed golden leaves gifted to me by the Autumn Queen. I walked a few feet away from the guys and cleared my throat before singing out.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah!"

"Uhh (Y/n) what are you doing?" Scarecrow asked.

"Shh quiet!" I listened as hard as I could but I didn't get a response back. Maybe if I sang louder. "Ah, ah, ah, ah!" Oh please answer.

"Not to judge your singing (Y/n) but is this a really good time for it?" Lion asked.

"Guys please I'm trying to listen."

"For what?" that's when the Siren voice of the Fae Queen echoed back my vocals.

"Wait. Was that......"

"Yes Tinman. The Autumn fae Queen." just over ahead was a bunch of Autumn leaves flying towards. The leaves surrounded me in a dance and I smiled happily and even laughed as they lifted me up into the air. The guys stood there in shock and bewilderment.

I was then set down and the Autumn leaves even began circling around the guys. Scarecrow yelped in surprise as felt himself being gently swayed by the Autumn winds. Tinman smiled as the leaves traveled up his arm, while Lion was gently tickled on his nose or ear by the leaves. Playfully he swatted at them and I heard Toto barking as the leaves came over him and did the same thing.

The leaves soon left my friends and swarmed around me and three red leaves, an orange and yellow stood in front of me and I heard a male voice say.

"We heard your song when you touched your arm. What do you need Savior of the faes?"

"I don't know if you guys can do this for us but—could you show us the safest way to get to the Warlock of the West's castle?" a female fae then gasped.

"The Warlock of the West's castle? But why would you go there?"

"Because the Wizard of Oz sent us there to get his broomstick. If we don't get it, we can't get our requests."

*3rd Person POV*

While watching (Y/n) talk to the leaves, all they could really hear from the faes were bell jingles or whistles of the wind.

"You guys getting any of this?" Scarecrow asked.

"Not a clue." Lion responded with a shake of his head.

"I think I remember reading somewhere that Faes only speak to those they trust. Maybe that's why we can't really hear what they're saying but (Y/n) can."

"I mean it does make sense, She was gifted by them after all after killing the Witch of the East."

*My POV*

"Please. I know it's a lot to ask but it would really mean a lot to us." The five leaves circled together whispering to each other so quietly it was like hearing little chime bells ringing. They soon uncurled from each other and a different female fae told me.

"We'll guide you to the Haunted forest and show you which way you can enter. But that's as far as we're willing to go."

"Thank you. Thank you so much." The leaves soon swarmed around me once again spinning around me before flying into the sky and the male fae told me.

"Follow us!"

"They'll show us the way."

"Well what are we waiting for, lead the way." I touched my spring heart necklace and my clothes changed from the winter dress back to my normal clothes and soon the five of us ran on ahead following the Autumn faes.

By sundown we arrived at a terrifying forest and just ahead of the forest loomed a mountain where at the highest point stood the castle of the Warlock of the West.

"Just go straight through the South entrance and just follow the trail. If you leave that trail, you'll never find it again." A female fae said to me.

"Alright, so just keep on the path. Thank you again. And give my thanks to your Queen." The leaves then retreated back into the sky and soon flew away back to the Fae kingdom.

"What'd they say?" asked Lion.

"They said to enter through the south entrance and keep on the trail. And no matter what never leave the trail, otherwise we'll be lost in the forest forever."

"And you're sure this is the safest road?" asked Tinman.

"I'm sure. I trust the faes."

"Then I trust you." Scarecrow said as he took my hand in his.

"Me too." Tinman said as he took my other hand.

"Count me in as well." Lion said as he placed a hand on my shoulder. With a confirmed bark from Toto, we all headed straight for the forest.