//------------------------------// // Emerald City // Story: Cinematic Adventures: The Wizard of Oz // by extremeenigma02 //------------------------------// (Start at 0:48 and stop at 1:01) “Open!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Pinkie belts out, in a high voice. “Pinkie!” Twilight shouts. Pinkie pauses during that long note and cheerfully turns toward Twilight Sparkle. “Yes, Twilight?” Pinkie asks, fluttering her eyes. “We’re already here,” Twilight points ahead. Sure enough, in between the merry tune and cheerful stroll, the entire group stands upon the gates leading to Emerald City. “Huh, that was fast,” Pinkie replied. The other ponies and Spike just shook their heads, but they were pleased nonetheless. After everything they’ve been through, their final destination laid just inches away and soon the time to meet the man who can help them will soon come to pass. Of course, there was still the Wicked Witch to deal with and the fact the Elements of Harmony are in her clutches… But they agreed to cross that bridge when it comes to it. But for now, they’re just happy to arrive at Emerald City. And there they stood, the end of the Yellow Brick Road, right at the big emerald door leading into the city itself. “Well, that’s certainly one heck of a gate,” Applejack points out. “It simply must be one amazing city, darling,” Rarity added. “No wonder they’d need a gate this big to keep it all in.” “So, how do we get in?” Twilight asked. “Simple really,” Pinkie answered. “Check this out!” Suddenly, they heard a ‘RING-RING!’ as every pony turned toward their pink party pony friend, swinging from a rope just by the giant door. Doing so made a ringing sound from the bell just hanging above the gate. After two rings, a man with a bushy handlebar mustache and weird hairdo opens a circular portion of the door. He wore an emerald green goat, with large buttons and a high-green collar. “Who rang that bell?!” He yelled. “That would be me, Mister Mustache sir!” Pinkie answered, waving while holding the rope. “Pinkie, don’t be rude,” Rarity scolds. “I’m terribly sorry about our friend, sir,” Twilight apologized. “She’s just really excited to finally be here.” “Well, can’t you read?” He asked. “Read what?” Scarecrow asked. “The notice!” “What notice?” The group asked. “It’s on the door, plain as the nose on my face!” The man points toward the door, but saw nothing was there while every pony looked rightfully confused. “It – Oh –“ Quickly, the little man peeks back inside and returns carrying a board with words on it. He slaps it into place along the nail against the door, slamming his little window shut. “'Bell out of order, please knock',” The group read. Dorothy grabs the nearby door-knocker, giving it a good hard knock. The doorman opens his window once more and stuck his ehad out. “Well, that’s more like it,” He replied. “Was that really necessary?” Rainbow asked. “You were there the first time; why not just open the door?” “She’s got a point, yah know?” Applejack agreed. “Why go through all the fuss puttin’ up a board when yah already answered?” “Bah, you don’t understand because you don’t man the gate,” He responds. “He who controls the gate, makes the rules.” “Is that really how it works here?” Spike asked Pinkie. “I don’t even know how it works in the books,” Pinkie replied, taking out a copy. “But to be fair, it ‘is’ a good read.” “Now come on, sir,” Twilight implores. “We didn’t come to cause trouble; we just want to come inside.” “I’ll be the one who makes the calls,” The doorman responds. “Now, state your business.” “We want to see the Wizard,” They all said, in unison. “Ooh!” The doorman gasps. “The Wizard?” “You bet,” Rainbow said. “We gotta get in because we need his help.” “Yeah, it’s ultra-super-duper-REALLY important,” Pinkie rambles. “We wanna get inside to meet this Wizard guy, who everyone says is the best! I hope he’s really nice, sweet, grants wishes, and loves ponies. Oh! Oh! Maybe we can have a big party—“ Nobody was really paying attention to the party planner’s rant, as the doorman starts talking over her. “But nobody can see the Great Oz!” The doorman shouts. “Nobody’s ever seen the Great Oz! Even I’ve never seen him!” “Whoa! Whoa! Time out let me get this straight!” Spike spoke. “You’re saying you’ve never seen your own Wizard?” “Then h-how would you k-know there is one?” Fluttershy squeaked. “Because he – I – Oh, you’re wasting my time!” The doorman barks, frustrated. Just as the man was about to go back inside and shut the window, Dorothy’s voice stops him in his tracks. “Oh please! Please sir,” Dorothy begged. “We’ve got to see the Wizard! The Good Witch of the North sent us!” “Prove it,” The doorman said, uncertain. “Oh, I know!” Twilight spoke. “Dorothy, show him the ruby slippers she gave you.” “Oh, right!” The doorman and every pony else peeks down toward Dorothy’s feet. The rubies seem to shimmer and glimmer in the sunlight. This immediately makes the doorman smile in wonder. “Oh, so she is! Well, bust my buttons! Why didn’t you say that in the first place? That’s a horse of a different color! Come on in!” The doorman laughs as he slams the small window and the large emerald door slowly opens. Before their very eyes, the entire group smiles at the sight that greeted them. There were so many people walking along the streets, all in different sizes. They each wore a set of green clothing, each one with a variety of haircuts. Some of these inhabitants noticed the arrival of this strange group of visitors passing through their doors; needless to say, Dorothy and the ponies found them rather strange too. All along, Spike couldn’t keep his eyes off all the shiny emeralds that covered the streets and buildings as Twilight Sparkle kept a close watch. Just then, upon their arrival, a horse-drawn carriage pulls up right in front of them as the driver steers his white horse to stop. “Cabby! Cabby!” He calls out. “Just what you’re looking for! Take you any place in the City, we does.” “Well, would you take us to see the Wizard?” Dorothy requests. “The Wizard? The Wizard?” The cabby thinks. “I – can’t – Well – Yes, of course. But first I’ll take you to a little place where you can tidy up a bit – what?” “You mean… This place has a ‘spa’!?” Rarity smiles, her eyes widen. “Ooh boy, here we go again,” Applejack shakes her head, smirking. Hearing the words ‘tidy up’, Rarity was the first to jump right into the carriage. “Oh darling, I thought you’d never offer,” Rarity speaks, dreamily. “You have no idea how long I’ve been meaning to get my mane fix and dip myself into a much needed hot bath!” “Leave it to Rarity,” Rainbow remarks, folding her hooves. Nevertheless, every pony else hopped along into the carriage. Whether they’d say it or not, they had been traveling for an entire day or so and desperately needed a chance to relax. “Oh, thank you so much,” Dorothy speaks. “We’ve been gone such a long time, and we feel so mess—“ Dorothy didn’t get to finish when she took a good look at the horse pulling the carriage. Every pony else eventually noticed and were amazed to see this was no regular horse, least not like their Earth Pony friends back home. No sir, this horse, once white in color, now had a purple fur coat just like Twilight’s. “What kind of a horse is that?” Dorothy marveled. “I’ve never seen a horse like that before!” “Tah think ya’ll had the company of six colorful, talking ponies with yah this whole time,” Applejack joked. Dorothy and the other ponies giggled at that statement, they knew Applejack made a good point. “But even I must admit, I’ve never seen a horse from another world,” Twilight said. “Much less, one with the same color coat as me.” “It’s a little more ‘grape’ colored,” Spike observed. “But yeah, I kind of see it.” “No – And never will again, I fancy,” The driver remarks, chuckling. “There’s only one of him, and he’s it. He’s the Horse of a Different Color, you’ve heard tell about!” The driver laughs as he begins driving the ponies, Spike, Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Lion all around the city. As they pass through the city, its citizens begin to sing a merry tune. The entire group was soon led through a set of double doors marked Wash and Brush-Up Co. Once inside, they each were pampered and cared for so magnificently, like they’ve never felt such care in weeks. Three masseurs in particular were currently re-stuffing Scarecrow with the finest straw, not so much he’d get a six pack but to look young and healthy. There were a few polishers on the other end, oiling the Tin Man and buffing him up a bit. A few female masseurs gave Dorothy a makeover, even a new hair job. A few gave the ponies massages, brushing their manes and tails till their nice and smooth. Surprisingly, even Rainbow Dash found herself more relaxed than she ever felt before. Finally, a few masseuses turned Lion’s mane topping it off with a red bow. They also polished and cleaned Spike’s scales, so clean he could see his own complexion. He too gets a red bow atop his little head. Having been pampered, refreshed and rejuvenated, the entire team was making their way toward the center of town, laughing and chuckling. Suddenly, there were gasps as they were drawn to look toward the sky. Up in the sky, the Wicked Witch flew overhead on her broom, cackling as she created a trail of black smoke behind her. It appeared she was spelling something in the sky. “Who’s her?!” Lion asked, fearfully. “Who’s her?!” “It’s the Witch!” Dorothy exclaimed. “She’s followed us here!” “Can’t that woman just take no for an answer?” Rainbow asked. “Look!” Spike shouts. “She’s writing something out!” They all look back toward the sky, seeing the words the Witch had written out. “’Surrender Dorothy’,” Lion read. “That no good Witch don’t know when to give up!” Applejack frowned, glaring. “Hmm…” Pinkie thought, scratching her chin. “That’s strange.” “What’s that?” Twilight asked. “Well, we’ve been with Dorothy everywhere. You’d think the witch would at least bring us up.” “Perhaps that’s a good thing,” Spike spoke, optimistically. “Maybe this means she’s forgotten all about us!” “Uh, Spike?” Rarity speaks, frowning. “Hate to burst your bubble, darling, but—“ Rarity points toward the sky, as the whole group looks up again. They realize the Witch was NOT quite finished with her writing, as she put some additional words by the message: “‘And Twilight Sparkle, Spike and Friends,’” Lion finished. Pinkie turns toward Spike, with that disappointed look. “And you say that ‘I’ pick the worst possible times?” Pinkie asked, shaking her head. Spike chuckles nervously, scratching the back of his head. “Whoops! Heh-heh! Guess she’s still pretty mad at us, after all.” “Oh dear…” Fluttershy said, nervously. Dorothy can only gasp in concern, as her friends held onto her protectively. “It that hag comes anywhere near Dorothy, I’ll knock her so hard it’ll make her henchmen dizzy,” Rainbow growled. “Wait! You know she’s got henchmen too?” Pinkie asked. Before the ponies can elaborate, chaos erupts within Emerald City as the welcoming party and the city’s residents began expressing their concerns over the situation. “Dorothy?” One woman asked. “Who’s Dorothy?” “And what ponies is she talking about?” Another man asked. “The Wizard will explain it!” “To the Wizard!” “To the Wizard!” Soon every citizen of Oz, men, women and children, ran towards the center of the city, shouting the Wizard’s name. “Dear, whatever shall we do?” Dorothy cried. “We need to get to the Wizard right away!” Twilight said, urgently. “She’s right, everyone,” Rarity agreed. “We simply must hurry if we’re to see the Wizard!” Nodding in unison, the whole group raced through the city following the citizens toward the town center. They knew they had to get there as quick as possible to meet the man himself, the very Wizard they’ve been searching for. For at this moment, he was their one and only hope.