Chapter 2: Secrets and the Council with the Munchkins
Everyone in the farmhouse slept peacefully, but, the Equestria residents suddenly noticed that the muffled sound of the wind stopped altogether, startling them awake before they went to the windows.
“Something tells me the cyclone passed,” Rainbow said.
Suddenly, Pinkie’s tail started twitching.
“Twitchy tail!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Something’s going to fall!”
Spike looked out a window to see clouds passing quickly. “And I think I know what it is!” he said. “US!”
“EVERYBODY BACK ON THE BED!” Sunset shouted. “QUICK!”
No one hesitated and they jumped back onto the bed.
“BRACE FOR IMPACT!” Sunset said urgently.
Dorothy was in a deep sleep and didn’t hear them. She was awakened by a shock so sudden and severe that if Dorothy had not been lying on the soft bed, she might have been hurt. As it was, the jar made her catch her breath and wonder what had happened and Toto put his cold little nose into her face and whined dismally. Dorothy sat up and noticed that the house was not moving. Nor was it dark, for the bright sunshine came in at the windows, flooding the little room. She sprang from her bed and, with Toto at her heels, saw the Equestria residents all huddled together on Aunt Em and Uncle Henry’s bed.
“Are you all okay?” Dorothy asked.
“Well, we’re still alive, if that’s what you mean,” Starlight said.
They slowly made their way off of the bed. They were slightly shaken up at first, but, soon, they began to get their bearings. Fluttershy noticed some of the floorboards had the impression of an older female figure in long robes and a pointed hat that wasn’t there before.
“Oh, dear,” Fluttershy gasped.
Dorothy went to the door and opened it. The little girl gave a cry of amazement and looked about her, her eyes growing bigger and bigger at the wonderful sights she saw. The others heard Dorothy’s voice and they walked over to see what she was looking at. Like magic, the normally grayscale colored friends regained their colors. Dorothy even got color in her skin and hair, though, her dress was still a dark gray. This gave Rarity the impression that was the dress’ natural color.
The cyclone had set the house down very gently--for a cyclone--in the midst of a country of marvelous beauty. There were lovely patches of greensward all about with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits. Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes. A little way off was a small brook, rushing and sparkling along between green banks and murmuring in a voice very grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the dry, gray prairies.
Chapter 2: The Council with the Munchkins, Sunset said internally.
“Hey, Auntie Sunset,” Spike asked. “Did your slippers change color?” He looked at them carefully and saw they were still silver. “Oh, never mind. False alarm.”
Sunset looked at her slippers and used her magic to turn them ruby red before Dorothy could notice.
Pinkie looked at the house. To her amazement, it was still intact. “This is a deceptively sturdy house,” she said.
While she stood looking eagerly at the strange and beautiful sights, Dorothy noticed coming toward her and her friends a group of the queerest people she had ever seen. They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been used to, but, neither were they very small. In fact, they seemed about as tall as Dorothy, who was a well-grown child for her age, although they were, so far as looks go, many years older.
The Equestria residents noticed these people as well. Three were men and one a woman and all were oddly dressed. They wore round hats that rose to a small point a foot above their heads, with little bells around the brims that tinkled sweetly as they moved. The hats of the men were blue. The little woman's hat was white and she wore a white gown that hung in pleats from her shoulders. Over it were sprinkled little stars that glistened in the sun like diamonds. The men were dressed in blue of the same shade as their hats and wore well-polished boots with a deep roll of blue at the tops. The men, Dorothy thought, were about as old as Uncle Henry, for two of them had beards. But, the little woman was doubtless much older. Her face was covered with wrinkles, her hair was nearly white, and she walked rather stiffly.
When these people drew near the house where Dorothy was standing in the doorway, they paused and whispered among themselves, as if afraid to come farther. But, the little old woman walked up to Dorothy and the others, made a low bow, and said, in a sweet voice:
"You are welcome, most noble Sorceresses, to the land of the Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed Evanora, the Wicked Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from bondage."
“Sorceress?” Twilight asked. “None of us are sorceresses.”
Dorothy listened to the speech with wonder. What could the little woman possibly mean by calling her and her friends sorceresses and saying they had killed the Wicked Witch of the East? Dorothy was an innocent, harmless little girl, who had been carried by a cyclone many miles from home and she had never killed anything in all her life. None of the Equestria residents had killed anything to her knowledge, either.
But, the little woman evidently expected her to answer, so, Dorothy said, with hesitation, "You are very kind, but, there must be some mistake. We have not killed anything."
“Perhaps not us directly,” Fluttershy said. “But, when the house landed after the cyclone passed, we must have landed on someone. I did notice the imprint of a figure with a pointy hat.”
"Your house did, anyway," replied the little old woman with a laugh. "And that is the same thing. See!" She continued, pointing to the corner of the house, "There are her two feet, still sticking out from under a block of wood."
Dorothy looked and gave a little cry of fright. There, indeed, just under the corner of the great beam the house rested on, two feet were sticking out, shod in silver shoes with pointed toes. The others (minus Sunset, having expected it, and Fluttershy, having seen the imprint earlier) were equally shocked.
“Somebody died?!” Pinkie said in surprise. “And I thought this was a kid’s boo–”
Sunset interrupted Pinkie by shushing her. Dorothy was too distraught to notice.
“Oh, no!” Dorothy said in a distressed tone. “I didn’t mean for the house to crush anyone! Whatever shall we do?”
"There is nothing to be done," said the little woman calmly.
"But, who was she?" asked Dorothy.
"She was Evanora, the Wicked Witch of the East, as I said," answered the little woman. "She has held all the Munchkins in bondage for many years, making them slaves for her night and day. Now they are all set free and are grateful to you and your friends for the favor."
“I’m guessing those are the people of this land?” Starlight guessed.
“Why, yes, they are,” the little woman answered.
"Are you a Munchkin?" asked Dorothy.
"No, but I am their friend,” the little woman answered. “Although I live in Gillikin Country, the land of the North. When they saw the Witch of the East was dead, the Munchkins sent a swift messenger to me and I came at once. I am Locasta, the Witch of the North."
"Oh, gracious!" cried Dorothy. "Are you a real witch?"
"Yes, indeed," answered the little woman. "But, I am a good witch and the people love me. I am not as powerful as the Wicked Witch who onced ruled here or I should have set the people free myself."
"But, I thought all witches were wicked," said the girl, who was half frightened at facing a real witch.
“Uh, that’s not entirely true, Dorothy,” Sunset said. “There was a time when witches were actually respected as wise healers. That changed when sexist Christians came to power and started burning them at the stake just for being different.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Dorothy said. “I didn’t know.”
“That is a great mistake,” Locasta said. “There were only four witches in all the Land of Oz and two of them, those who live in the North and the South, are good witches. I know this is true for I am one of them myself and cannot be mistaken. Those who dwelt in the East and the West were, indeed, wicked witches, but, now that you have killed one of them, there is but one Wicked Witch in all the Land of Oz--the one who lives in the West."
“Whoa,” Rainbow whispered to Sunset. “There sure is a lot of lore in this boo–”
Sunset interrupted Rainbow by shushing her. This time, Dorothy did notice.
“Why ever did you shush her?” she asked.
“Well,” Sunset said, trying to sound inconspicuous. “It’s a private matter.”
Dorothy decided to leave it at that. "But," she said after a moment's thought. "Aunt Em has told me that the witches were all dead--years and years ago."
“I guess not all of them,” Trixie said.
"Who is Aunt Em?" inquired the little old woman.
"She is my aunt who lives in Kansas, where we all came from," Dorothy explained.
Locasta seemed to think for a time, with her head bowed and her eyes upon the ground. Then, she looked up and said, "I do not know where Kansas is, for I have never heard that country mentioned before. But, tell me, is it a civilized country?"
"Oh, yes," replied Dorothy.
"Then that accounts for it,” Locasta said. “In the civilized countries, I believe there are no witches left, nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor magicians. But, you see, the Land of Oz has never been civilized for we are cut off from all the rest of the world. Therefore, we still have witches and wizards amongst us."
Trixie was somewhat offended. “All of us but Dorothy come from a place called Equestria,” she said. “It’s plenty civilized and there’s still all four of those.”
"Who are the wizards?" asked Dorothy, trying to avoid a dispute over the differing lands.
“They are wonderful beings,” Locasta explained. "Oz himself is the Great Wizard," she continued, sinking her voice to a whisper. "He is more powerful than all the rest of us together. He lives in the City of Emeralds."
Dorothy was going to ask another question, but, just then, the Munchkins, who had been standing silently by, gave a loud shout and pointed to the corner of the house where the Wicked Witch had been lying.
"What is it?" asked the little old woman before she looked and began to laugh. The feet of the dead Witch had disappeared entirely and nothing was left but the silver shoes.
“What just happened?” Pinkie asked.
"Evanora was so old," explained Locasta. "That she dried up quickly in the sun. That is the end of her. But, the silver shoes are yours and you shall have them to wear." She reached down and picked up the shoes and, after shaking the dust out of them, handed them to Dorothy.
"The Witch of the East was proud of those silver shoes," said one of the Munchkins. "And there is some charm connected with them. But, what it is, we never knew."
“Let the joyous news be spread,” one of the Munchkins said cheerily. “The wicked old witch at last is dead!”
Dorothy carried the shoes into the house and placed them on the table. Then she came out again to the Munchkins and said:
"I am anxious to get back to my aunt and uncle, for I am sure they will worry about me. Can you help me find my way?"
The Munchkins and the Witch first looked at one another, then at Dorothy, and then shook their heads.
"At the East, not far from here," said one. "There is a great desert and none could live to cross it."
"It is the same at the South," said another. "For I have been there and seen it. The South is the country of the Quadlings."
"I am told," said the third man. "That it is the same at the West. And that country, where the Winkies live, is ruled by Zelena, the Wicked Witch of the West, who would make you her slave if you passed her way."
"The North is my home," said Locasta. "And at its edge is the same great desert that surrounds this Land of Oz. I'm afraid, my dear, you and your friends will have to live with us."
“Uh, suppose some of us can fly?” Rainbow said.
“Did you see the direction the cyclone carried us?” Sunset asked pointedly.
“Uh…” Rainbow began. “No.”
“Then, flight won’t really help, will it?” Sunset said.
“No…” Rainbow said dismally.
Dorothy began to sob at this, for she felt lonely among all these strange people despite the Equestria residents. Her tears seemed to grieve the kind-hearted Munchkins, for they immediately took out their handkerchiefs and began to weep also. As for the little old woman, she took off her cap and balanced the point on the end of her nose, while she counted "One, two, three" in a solemn voice. At once the cap changed to a slate, on which was written in big, white chalk marks:
"LET DOROTHY AND HER FRIENDS GO TO THE CITY OF EMERALDS"
“The City of Emeralds?” Dorothy asked.
The little old woman took the slate from her nose and, having read the words on it, asked, "Is your name Dorothy, my dear?"
"Yes," answered the child, looking up and drying her tears.
“These ponies and dragon are your friends?” Locasta asked again.
“We are, yes,” Twilight said. “We may not have only known of Dorothy for a short while, but, we would do anything to make sure she’s alright.”
"Then, you must all go to the City of Emeralds,” Locasta said. “Perhaps Oz will help you."
"Where is this city?" asked Dorothy.
"It is exactly in the center of the country and is ruled by Oz, the Great Wizard I told you of," Locasta explained.
"Is he a good man?" inquired the girl anxiously.
"He is a good Wizard,” Locasta answered. “Whether he is a man or not, I cannot tell for I have never seen him."
"How can we get there?" asked Dorothy.
"You must walk,” Locasta said. “It is a long journey through a country that is sometimes pleasant and sometimes dark and terrible. However, I will use all the magic arts I know of to keep you from harm."
“Will you do so for all of us?” Fluttershy asked.
“I can sense that each of you has a form of magic that makes my protection unnecessary,” Locasta said.
"Won't you go with us?" pleaded the girl, who had begun to look upon the little old woman as a close friend.
"No, I cannot do that," she replied. "But, I will give you my kiss and no one will dare injure a person who has been kissed by the Witch of the North."
She came close to Dorothy and kissed her gently on the forehead. Where her lips touched the girl they left a round, shining mark as Dorothy found out soon after.
“Uh, suppose someone tried to injure someone kissed by you?” Starlight said.
“Then, they should end up injured themselves,” Locasta said.
“I see,” Twilight said. “So, it acts like a shield of sorts. Fascinating.”
“Out of curiosity,” Sunset asked. “Do you have a map of Oz?”
“It is easy to find it,” Locasta said. “Simply follow the path on the Yellow Brick Road and follow any signs leading towards the City of Emeralds.”
“I understand,” Sunset said. “But, can we have one anyway? Just in case we end up straying from the Yellow Brick Road? Or if it splits?”
“Very well,” Locasta said. She reached into her hat and pulled out a map of Oz.
“Thank you,” Sunset said politely.
“When you get to Oz, do not be afraid of him,” Locasta said. “But, tell your story and ask him to help you. Good-bye, my dears."
“Good-bye,” Dorothy said politely. “And thank you.”
The three Munchkins bowed low to her and wished her a pleasant journey, after which they walked away through the trees. The Witch gave Dorothy a friendly little nod, whirled around on her left heel three times and straightway disappeared, much to the surprise of little Toto, who barked after her loudly enough when she had gone, because he had been afraid even to growl while she stood by.
But, Dorothy and the others, knowing her to be a witch, had expected her to disappear in just that way and were not surprised in the least.
“We’ll need to prepare for our journey,” Spike said. “If we expect to get through this boo–”
Sunset interrupted him by shushing him. Again, Dorothy was confused.
“Can you excuse us for a second, Dorothy?” Sunset asked. “I need to have a word with my Equestria friends in private.”
“Why ain’t ya tellin’ her we’re in a–” Applejack said, before being shushed by Sunset.
So, Sunset led Spike and the ponies in a quiet private place out of Dorothy’s earshot.
“Sunset,” Twilight said. “Why are you being so–”
She was interrupted by Sunset shushing her. The others looked at her indignantly. Sunset at last sighed.
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry about all of the shushing,” Sunset confessed. “But, I have a good reason to. To the characters in this book, this is their whole world. To them, this place is real and everything they do matters. If they learned that they were part of a children’s fantasy world, they’ll lose motivation to do anything and then, the story wouldn’t continue. That, in turn, would prevent us from going home.”
They all took a moment to digest Sunset’s words. After a while, they took the hint.
“Ah!” Applejack exclaimed. “Ah didn’t even think o’ that! Thanks fer the warnin’, Sunset.”
“While we’re here,” Sunset said. “We can’t let anybody here know that this is all part of a storybook.”
“You can count on us, Auntie Sunset,” Spike said with a salute.
Sunset levitated ginger ale to Applejack.
“You can use this to settle your stomach if you feel you’re starting to gag, Applejack,” Sunset said. “No one besides us knows of your, uh, condition when it comes to little white lies. If they ask, we’ll just say something you ate isn’t agreeing with you.”
“So, in a way,” Rarity said. “It should feel more like an acting exercise, yes?”
“Exactly,” Sunset said with a nod. “Acting is a necessary part of entertainment. Actors playing heroes give kids something to aspire to.”
“Ah think ah can manage that,” Applejack said. “Anythin’ ta make sure we get through this.”
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Nice alterations. I remember the footwear was different in the book. And good Sunset keeping everyone hushed about the fact they're in a book
11731600
And she had solid reasoning for it.
It's some twist. Have Sunset get ruby ones, and Dorothy get the silver ones from the book.
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Sunset turned hers ruby red.
11731615
Cool
Excellent work in the latest chapter. Certainly liked the work going into the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up. And, yeah, that IS a really good reason for Sunset to stop the others from mentioning this was a book. And that is also a good job on describing the lore concerning witches (and, yes, even today, there ARE just as many good ones as bad ones in fiction). Also liked Trixie correcting the natives concerning Equestria being civilized and having multiple extremely powerful magic users. And that bit of ginger ale for settling Applejack's stomach about the little white lies (even though the gang knows by now that, in most cases, a carefully worded truth works a lot better than a well-meant lie, this is NOT one of those times)
Of course, I would think a sufficiently powerful and well-trained unicorn would qualify as a witch/wizard or sorcerer/sorceress (i.e. large scale levitation, teleportation, transmutation, elemental control and too many other spells to list). Though I can see why Twilight wouldn't see herself, Sunset and Starlight that way.
But anyway, definitely looking forward to more of this.
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Yeah. Sunset’s more of an alchemist, who makes magic through science.
Amazing stuff! And like what others said Definitely a good call Sunset stopping Twilight and the others from mentioning that they’re all in a book.
Doing something like that would be chaotic and be really bad
11731647
For several reasons.
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Definitely
I love how you following the book and not the movie. And how it is different from the Cinematic universal adventures of wizard of Oz. And keep up the good work I love your stories. And can you please finish Spike the book 2 please and thank you when you get the time to finish it. And keep up the good work. And I love how you are making sunset summer a good character. And I love how the good witch's name is different from the movie. And the bad witch's name is different too. And I love love you stories.
11731659
In the book, Glinda’s the Good Witch of the South.
STORM: I love that the Wicked Witches are named Evanora & Zelena! I love Oz the Great and Powerful and Once Upon a Time! Only four witches, eh Locasta? *cough*Mombi!*cough*
11731695
BRANDON: Mombi hasn’t appeared yet.
Pretty solid reasoning on why the Guardians of Harmony can't be bringing up the fact Dorothy's a book character without disrupting her journey.
Spike referring to Sunset as "Auntie" sure does give some pretty wholesome vibes for how their relationship will end up going in this version.
Out of curiosity, who would hypothetically voice Dorothy, Aunt Em, Uncle Henry, and Locasta here?
11731845
Andrea Libman, Tabitha St. Germain, Paul Dobson, and Nicole Oliver, respectively.
11732150
Spike will be about Smolder’s height.
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Pretty good choices.
Since for this one we know who the other relevant characters are for future chapters, who would you imagine as hypothetical voices for Cowardly Lion, Tin Man, Scarecrow, the Wizard/Oz, Glinda, and Wicked Witch of the West?
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Sam Vincent, Scott McNeil, Ian James Corlett, Mark Oliver, haven’t decided for Glinda yet, and Kathleen Barr.