Having officially made it out of the Munchkin territory, the Mane Six, Spike and Dorothy continued their trek along the Yellow Brick Road. They had already passed many mountain ranges, as they marched through fields of flowers toward the Emerald City. As they walked, they couldn’t help but recall their last encounter with the Wicked Witch and why she hates them so much.
“Ah mean, it ain’t like we meant to hurt her sister,” Applejack mentioned. “That there was just a freak accident.”
“We didn’t even cause the tornado or wanted to end up here,” Rarity added. “I cannot even begin to understand what she wants to get us.”
“If she knew what’s good for her, she’s stay away from us,” Rainbow Dash spoke up. “We’ve defeated baddies ten times more dangerous than her.”
Every pony recalled their previous battles from the past. From Discord to Tirek, Chrysalis and Sombra, they were all dangerous in their own way. It’s true they only met this Witch once, not enough to know if she was just as bad as their old foes... Or worse!
“I think ole Greenie Meanie needs a big party!” Pinkie said, excitedly. “I’m talking multi-layer cake and party games... Oh! Like ‘Pin the Tail on the Pony’! She’d have so much fun, she’ll forget about being mean and start having fun ‘Pinkie Pie’ style!”
Once again, the whole group turned toward the ‘Element of Laughter’ staring at her with that ‘seriously’ look. Pinkie just kept smiling, bouncing ahead.
Spike, who had been riding on Twilight’s back the whole time, heard a growling sound. He looks down and noticed his little stomach rumbling.
“Man, I didn’t think I’d ever get this hungry,” Spike moaned. “I haven’t eaten since we left Kansas!”
“Don’t worry, Spike,” Twilight reassured. “I’m sure we’ll find some food once we find the nearest town or some place.”
But had Twilight actually been watching Spike, she would have noticed he wasn’t paying attention. His eyes lit up instantly having caught sight of the ruby slippers Dorothy was wearing. His mouth began to water, as he licked his scaly lips at the thought of how good they must taste. If there was even the slightest chance he’d have a taste at those crunchy gemstones, he’d take it.
Eventually, Twilight did feel a drop of water on her shoulder like rain. But there wasn’t a cloud in the sky so it wasn’t raining. She turns over her shoulder and had just caught her little dragon friend eying Dorothy’s slippers.
“SPIKE!” Twilight yelled.
Twilight’s yell snapped Spiky back to reality, shaking his head rapidly.
“Huh? What?” He asked. “What happened?”
“Spike, don’t even think about it!” Twilight warned. “The Wicked Witch wants those slippers badly and she’s mad at us already. You eat those slippers we may as well be going to the Emerald City in a casket.”
The baby dragon grumbled, folding his claws with a huff. But of course, Twilight was right as usual especially when it was important. Still, Twilight could notice Spike was finding it difficult to ignore the grumbling of his stomach. If his face didn’t give it away, seeing him rub his rumbling stomach like massaging an ache longing to be filled put pity in her eyes.
“You know, Spike,” Twilight said, digging into her bag. “While I was collecting ingredients for Zecora, I happened to find something you might like. I was saving it for later, but... Here you go.”
Twilight immediately pulls out a huge, red ruby from her saddlebag presenting it to Spike. The baby dragon’s eyes immediately perked up, as he snatched the gem away and stuffed it into his mouth.
“Phank woo,” He mumbled, between bites.
Twilight giggled, as she gently ruffled the scales on her number one assistant’s head with her hoof.
Eventually, the group came upon a cornfield, the talk stalks stretching for miles. But the corn itself wasn’t the major detail they noticed: The Yellow Brick Road split into three separate directions. There were now four paths going North, East, South, and West, the latter of which they just came from.
“Follow the Yellow Brick Road?” Dorothy asked, confused. “Follow the Yellow...?”
Every pony stopped at the crossing point for the Yellow Brick Road, searching all the directions. But none of them knew for sure which way would lead them to Emerald City.
“Well, this is just great!” Dash grumbled.
“I reckon we should’ve asked for a map,” Applejack agreed.
“Now which way do we go?” Twilight asked.
Just then, Pinkie bounced up and down, reaching her hoof high in the air.
“Ooh! Ooh! I know! I know! Pick me! Pick me!”
“Yes Pinkie?” Twilight sighs, rolling her eyes.
“Um... Actually, could you excuse me one moment?”
<>
As if the story itself froze, Pinkie Pie seems to jump into a new paragraph. She looks up toward the sky.
“Oh... Mr. Author!” Pinkie calls out, sing-song. “Can you please tell us the way to Emerald City?”
Sorry Pinkie, but you know I can’t do that.
“Aw!” Pinkie pouts, frowning. “Come on, Mr. Author why not?!”
My job as the narrator is to follow the story as closely as possible and observe how you would react to certain scenarios. I cannot interfere under any circumstances.
“But you write the story, silly. Can’t you just type a few words and just ‘poof’ us into the Emerald City?”
I could... I would... I should... But I won’t. If I did that, this would be the shortest FanFic in online history. There’d be no point to writing this story at all.
“You are such a party pooper, sometimes!”
Pinkie, don’t be that way... Look, if you can just go along with what I have in mind for the story it’ll be a big help. I’ll even throw in a big party for later at my place with cake... Lots of music...
YOU’RE NOT THROWING ANY MORE PARTIES!!! I’ve just cleaned up the last one!
*Calls out* Oh no, no, no, no! Of course not! Heh-heh... Just kidding! *Pause, whispers* Look, I’m already delaying this chapter enough as it is. We’ll talk about this later. Okay?
“Okie-dokie-lokie!” Pinkie giggled.
<>
In an instant, Pinkie bounces back into the scene while every pony else faced her wide-eyed and confused.
“I’m back!” Pinkie smiled, with a squeak.
“Uh Pinkie, what just happened?” Dorothy asked. “And who were you just talking to?”
“Hmm... No one important,” Pinkie brushes off.
“Okay seriously, does any pony know which way to go around here?” Dash asked.
“Pardon me, that way’s a very nice way.”
The group turns toward where the voice came from, only to quickly realize however no one was around. The only thing besides them in this cornfield was a Scarecrow, raised above the stalks of corns by means of the pole stuck up to its back pointing east. Its head was a small sack stuffed with straws with painted eyes, a mouth and a brown nose representing a face. An old, pointed black hat perched on his head, and the rest of the figure was a green suit, worn and faded, which had also been stuffed with straw. On the feet were some old boots, such as every man wore around the time Dorothy came from.
“Who said that?” Dorothy asked.
Fluttershy noticed Toto barking toward the Scarecrow. She walked up toward the little dog, leaning toward him.
“What’s that Toto?” Fluttershy asked.
The dog barked at her, as the Yellow Pegasus nods her head understandingly. Of course, given that Fluttershy can understand the language of all creatures this wasn’t too difficult.
“What’s he saying Fluttershy?” Spike asked.
“He says the Scarecrow was the one who said something,” Fluttershy answered.
For a moment, every pony looked at each other silently. Then they immediately burst out laughing, while Fluttershy just stood there blinking.
“Good one, Fluttershy,” Applejack chuckled. “Now that’s a real knee slapper.”
“But it’s still possible, isn’t it?” Spike asked.
“Don’t be silly, Spike,” Dorothy told the little dragon. “Scarecrows don’t talks.”
“It’s pleasant down that way, too.”
They turn back toward the Scarecrow, only this time he’s not pointing toward the northernmost direction. They all froze, with a slight twinge of fear.
“Uh... Not to sound c-crazy,” Rainbow whispered. “But w-wasn’t he pointing the other way?”
“Why yes, Rainbow Dash,” Dorothy told her friend. “I think he was.”
“Of course, people do go both ways!”
They turn back just in time to see the Scarecrow point both north and east, left and right, simultaneously. All their collective mouths dropped to the ground, as they slowly approached this surprising spectacle.
“Why you did say something, didn’t you?” Dorothy asked.
The Scarecrow shook his head ‘no’ rapidly, but quickly smiled and nodded his head ‘yes’. Fluttershy gasped and hid behind Rarity, while every pony else looked on in shock and wonder.
“Well ah’ll be a chimera’s Great Aunt Fanny,” Applejack smiled, intrigued. “You really are talkin’!”
“This is incredible!” Twilight observed. “Some pony must have cast a spell upon this Scarecrow, granting him communication skills and a personality!”
The Scarecrow was about to say something, thought for a moment and then shook his head.
“Nope,” He replied, with a smile. “I was just stuffed and sewn together one day, next thing I know I’m left up here. I’ve been talking ever since.”
“Are you doing that on purpose, or can’t you make up your mind?” Dorothy asked.
“That’s the trouble. I can’t make up my mind. I haven’t got a brain, only straw.”
To prove his point, The Scarecrow lifts his hat a bit revealing a bit of straw sticking out of his head.
“Not to sound rude or anything dear,” Rarity spoke, curiously. “But if you have no brain, then how are you able to speak?”
“Yeah, how are you talking anyway?” Rainbow asked, suspiciously.
The Scarecrow thought for a moment, and then shrugged.
“I don’t know. But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking don’t they?”
“Ha, guess he got there Rainbow Dash,” Spike chuckled.
“Watch it pipsqueak,” Rainbow glared at the little dragon.
The baby dragon in question hid himself in Twilight’s mane fearfully. Meanwhile, Dorothy and the others smiled at the friendly Scarecrow.
“Well, we haven’t really met properly, have we?” Dorothy asks, kindly.
“Why, no!” Scarecrow realized.
Dorothy gives a curtsy, while the ponies all bow their heads.
“How do you do?” They ask, in unison.
“How do you do?’ Scarecrow asked back.
“Very well, thank you,” Dorothy responds.
“Oh, I’m not feeling at all well. You see, it’s very tedious being stuck up here all day long with a pole up your back.”
Fluttershy gasps and flew up toward the Scarecrow. She peers behind him to see nailed right along the post, unable to get anywhere.
“Oh, you poor thing,” She sympathized. “That must feel terribly uncomfortable.”
“Well, can’t ya’ll just get on down?” Applejack asked.
“Down?” The Scarecrow asked, shaking his head. “No, you see, I’m – Well, -- I’m –“
Before the Scarecrow can finish, Dorothy and the others immediately approach the post.
“Oh pfft, no need to fret, darling,” Rarity spoke. “We’ll gladly help you down.”
“Oh, that’s very kind of you,” Scarecrow said, thankfully. “Very kind.”
Dorothy began looking around the back, trying to find a way to get the poor Scarecrow down.
“Well, oh dear – I don’t quite see how I can –“
“Of course, I’m not bright about doing things, but if you’ll just bend the nail down in the back, maybe I’ll slip off and...”
“Oh yes!”
Dorothy did just as the Scarecrow suggests: Bending the nail down causing the Scarecrow to fall off the post and landing on the ground. The impact causes him to lose some of his stuffing.
“Whoops! Ha-ha, there goes some of me again,” He laughs, picking up the straw.
Dorothy and the ponies, meanwhile, couldn’t help but look concerned.
“Doesn’t it hurt you?”
“Oh no, I just keep picking it up and put it back in again.”
The Scarecrow stuffs the straw back through his chest, laughing as he stands back on his own two feet.
“My, it’s good to be free!” The Scarecrow cheers.
The Scarecrow whiles around and about, but in doing so falls over the cornfield fence. Dorothy screams at the sight, immediately rushing toward the fallen Scarecrow, as the other ponies follow.
“Did I scare you?” He asked.
“No, no,” Dorothy assures. “I just thought you hurt yourself.”
“But I didn’t scare you?” He asks, disappointedly.
“No, of course not,” Dorothy answered.
“I didn’t think so,” The Scarecrow pouts, looking dejected.
Twilight and the others approach the Scarecrow, sitting beside him as Twilight places a hoof on his straw shoulder.
“Don’t feel too bad, Scarecrow,” Twilight said, comfortably. “We don’t scare too easily.”
“’Cept fur Fluttershy here,” Applejack, gestures to the shy Pegasus.
“I-I-I do not s-scare easily!” Fluttershy defended.
“Come on, Flutters,” Dash said, humorously. “You get scared when the wind blows!”
Fluttershy didn’t find it funny at all, shrinking down in shame.
“Oh now really, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity scolds, as she comforts Fluttershy. “There’s no need to tease Fluttershy that way.”
“Rarity’s right, every pony is afraid of something,” Twilight adds.
Just then, a crow flew up and lands upon Scarecrow’s shoulder and starts picking at his stuffing.
“Boo! Scat! Boo!” The Scarecrow shouts.
But it’s no use. The crow completely ignores the Scarecrow’s attempt to scare him. It just grabs a piece of his hat, before flying off squawking as if the little bird was mocking him.
“You see, I can’t even a scare a crow!” The Scarecrow frowned. “The come from miles around just to eat in my field and laugh in my face! Oh, I’m a failure, because I haven’t got a brain.”
Dorothy, the ponies, and even Spike couldn’t help but feel bad for the poor straw man. After all, the whole purpose of a Scarecrow is to keep the corn fields crow free and to hear them flapping along just to taunt him made them all feel bad.
“Well, even if you did somehow manage to have a brain,” Twilight pondered. “What would you do if you had one?”
“Do? Why if I had a brain I could...”
The Scarecrow’s face lit up brightly, as he began to sing.
https://m.Dorothy, the ponies and Spike watch as during the Scarecrow’s song he starts dancing around and about. He starts to whirl and jig, at one point falling onto his knees. The ponies and Dorothy reach to help, till Scarecrow holds a hand saying ‘stop’ and lifts himself back, with a twirl. He starts twirling round and round, that he nearly loses his step and starts hopping backward down the road. Fluttershy and Pinkie quickly follow The Scarecrow, managing to get behind him and stop him from falling.
The Scarecrow soon dances forward, with Pinkie copying his moves down the street, even Fluttershy gets into it in a cute way. The Scarecrow even dances toward the cornfield, falling over the fence, and then rolls back under it as the girls and Spike rush in to help. He sits himself onto the curb of the road while he feels about his coat. Dorothy and Twilight point to some of his straw on the road.
Just then, a crow flies onto the scene and lands near the straw, which causes the Scarecrow to quiver in fear as his friends try to comfort him. The crow picks up the straw and flies off over the cornfield, as Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the girls watch from the fence.
“Hey, give that back you ole’ buzzard!” Applejack shouts, shaking her hoof.
The Scarecrow dances back to right along the road, as Dorothy and the others rush to him, stops him in his tracks and points out toward the Crow, which lands in the cornfield.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get it back!” Rainbow said. “Hop on Spike!”
Spike makes his way onto Rainbow’s back. Dorothy and Twilight look concern, but Scarecrow assures the girls they’ve got this. Rainbow bends down and wiggles her hips as she and the Scarecrow get ready. Spike holds onto Dash’s mane tight as the Scarecrow and Rainbow dances forward, gaining momentum and makes a big jump over the cornfield with Rainbow flapping her wings.
“TALLY HO!” Rainbow shouts.
Scarecrow and Rainbow Dash, with Spike on her back, pile into the cornfield sending several crows scattering through the corn, as Dorothy and the others run forward to the fence overlooking the crazy scene.
“Go on! Beat it!” Rainbow shouts. “Pick on some pony your own size!”
“Yeehaw!” Applejack shouts. “Get ‘er done, Dash!”
The Scarecrow searches through the corn stalks and then points to Rainbow Dash toward one direction. He bends down, finds his straw and stuffs it back into his coat. With a nod, the Scarecrow and Rainbow Dash soar over the field onto the road, as Dorothy and the others wave to him. The Scarecrow lands onto the Yellow Brick Road and begins to dance again, doing a series of splits.
“My, you’re a limber one, Mr. Scarecrow!” Rarity replies.
“Gee thanks!” Scarecrow replies, between splits.
Meanwhile, back in the cornfield, Spike was brushing past the stalks trying to reunite with the group. Just then, he accidentally bumps into a pumpkin, causing it to roll onto the Yellow Brick Road.
“Oops!” Spike yells.
Spike rushes out and tries to stop the pumpkin, but can’t keep up with his short legs. The pumpkin rolls forward, right in between the Scarecrow’s legs! The impact hits the Scarecrow, launching him high into the air, as Dorothy and the others look on frightened.
“Don’t worry, girls!” Pinkie shouts, running around. “I got him! I got him!”
Eventually, the Scarecrow falls back toward the road and ends up running along the Yellow Brick pathway. The Scarecrow finds himself dancing forward, bumping into one side of the fence, and then bouncing from that to the fence on the other side of the road. Back and forth, left fence and right fence, heads turning from one side to the next, so on and so forth! Eventually, the Scarecrow runs right past Dorothy and her friends falling through another fence which breaks under his weight. The Scarecrow sits up, looks about blinking his eyes wondering ‘What happened’.
Dorothy and the others were about to help him, when something incredible happens. The Scarecrow gets back up and the fence fixes itself back into place as if time was going backwards. Magic or no, it was astounding for the ponies and Spike as the Scarecrow bounces off the sides of the fence only backwards. Finally, after The Scarecrow bounces off the last fence rail, he starts dancing forward and sings to Dorothy.
With those final lyrics, The Scarecrow plops onto the floor after some straw fell from his coat. Every pony clapped their hooves, or in Spike’s case his ‘claws’, for such a wonderful performance.
“Well that there’s what ah’d call a scary performance!” Applejack said. “That’d put any ol’ Scarepony back home tah shame!”
“Totally!” Rainbow agreed. “Even Tirek and Chrysalis would be scared silly, they’d never set foot in Equestria again!”
Dorothy kneels by the Scarecrow, helping him put back some of the straw into his chest.
“Wonderful! Why if our Scarecrow back in Kansas could do that, the crows’d be scared to pieces!”
“They would?” Scarecrow asked.
“Um-hmm,” Dorothy nodded.
“Where’s Kansas?”
“Kansas is where Dorothy lives,” Twilight explained. “But my friends and I come from Equestria, very far from here and there. It’s kind of a different land entirely, but it’s home.”
“Where’s Equestria?” Scarecrow asked.
“It’s a long story, darling,” Rarity spoke up. “Trust me.”
“The Narrators would probably be able to explain where Equestria is,” Pinkie replies. “But they’re not exactly great at conversation.”
The Scarecrow scratches his head, more confused than before. Spike just pats his shoulder.
“Don’t ask, buddy. Just don’t...”
“We want to get back home so badly we’re going all the way to Emerald City to get the Wizard of Oz to help us,” Dorothy said.
“You’re all going to see a Wizard?” Scarecrow asked.
Every pony nods in unison. Then it seemed an imaginary light-bulb went off in Scarecrow’s non-existent brain, but nevertheless a thought came to him.
“Do you think if I went with you, this Wizard would give me some brains?”
The ponies, Spike and Dorothy all faced each other, wondering the same thing. If this wizard is really as great as everyone said he is, then that may be a good possibility. Still...
“I couldn’t say,” Dorothy shook her head.
“Beats being nailed on a pole all day long,” Rainbow Dash replies.
“Or feeling insecure for not scaring crows,” Fluttershy added.
“But even if he didn’t, you’d be no worse off than you are now,” Spike concludes, patting Scarecrow’s back.
“Yes,” Scarecrow mumbled. “That’s true.”
“It probably ain’t a good idea if he comes along,” Applejack suggests. “We got a Wicked Ole Witch mad at us and we all don’t want ya’ll gettin’ in no trouble.”
“Witch?” Scarecrow asks, confidently. “Huh! I’m not afraid of a witch! I’m not afraid of anything!”
“Every pony is scared of something, Scarecrow,” Twilight argued. “There must be something you’re afraid of.”
Scarecrow looks around, then behind him and back to the group. He gestures them all to lean in, which they did.
“Except a lighted match,” He whispered.
“I don’t blame you for that,” Dorothy understands.
“Me neither, fire and straw generally don’t mix well,” Applejack nods.
“So you’d best be careful, Spike,” Twilight said. “We don’t want you blowing fire if he gets caught in between.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Spike assures.
“But I’d face a whole box full of them for the chance of getting some brains,” The Scarecrow insists.
Feeling the group still wasn’t convinced, the Scarecrow is practically on his knees imploring them to reconsider.
“Look, I won’t be any trouble, because I don’t eat a thing, and I can’t manage things because I don’t think,” He pleaded. “Won’t you take me with you?”
Dorothy and the ponies, even Spike, felt bad for this Scarecrow. All his life, if any at all, he felt like a disappointment and failure. It’s clear all he ever wants is a chance to be smart, if only so he’d feel less of a loser than he sets himself to be. So the decision was pretty unanimous.
“Why, of course we will!” They all said.
Thrilled, Scarecrow cheers and jumps in the air. Then, he lifts the little ponies and little dragon in a tight embrace.
“Hooray!” He cheered. “We’re off to see a Wizard!”
The ponies and Spike groan from the tight squeeze Scarecrow gave.
“Boy, for a sack of hay he sure is strong,” Rainbow wheezed.
“I love this!” Pinkie replied, hugging Scarecrow back.
“This certainly isn’t starting off very well,” Rarity coughed out.
“Oh, I’ll try!” Scarecrow assures. “Really, I will.”
The Scarecrow places them back on the ground, while he himself stumbles to keep himself balanced. This gave the ponies and Spike time to catch their breath, while Applejack bent so far backward she heard a loud ‘crack’ coming from her spine. But she rubs it off like it’s nothing, as she regroups with Dorothy and the others.
“To Oz?” Dorothy asked.
“To Oz!” Scarecrow declares.
“To Oz!” The Mane Six and Spike declare.
And so, Dorothy, the ponies, Spike, and now the Scarecrow, skip their way down the Yellow Brick Road going east into the forest onward towards the Emerald City once again.