A/N: Hey, long time no see! I have no excuse for such a late post except for the usual blah blah about real life. To cut it short, uni ended, work started and I had to move far away from home and friends. Took me ages to set up internet in my new place, the delay of which completely made me lose touch with what was happening in the Fanfiction world. I got a bit of writer?s block and felt too drained to write constructively most of the time but I still pulled through and finally, here is the next chapter at last. I will keep trying with this story, I promise, and I WILL finish it.
The last two chapters I posted had allusions to the series in them and the allusions are posted at the bottom of this chapter like they were in chapter 7. Did you spot all of them? Tell me please, thank you.
Finally, huggles to all faithful readers and any new ones, anybody who takes the time to read this story has a special place in my heart.
<b>Previous Chapters:</b>
1: Moving to Kansas
<A href="http://blissfulignorance.com/phpBB/view ... 9490">Part I</a> , <A href="http://blissfulignorance.com/phpBB/view ... 9498">Part II</a>
2: Taking Him Away
<A href="http://blissfulignorance.com/phpBB/view ... 9517">Part I</a> , <A href="http://blissfulignorance.com/phpBB/view ... 9528">Part II</a>
<A href="http://blissfulignorance.com/phpBB/view ... ?t=9542">3: Good Witches and Bad Witches</a>
<A href="http://blissfulignorance.com/phpBB/view ... ?t=9646">4: The Yellow Brick Road</a>
<A href="http://blissfulignorance.com/phpBB/view ... ?t=9683">5: Glass Eyes</a>
<A href="http://blissfulignorance.com/phpBB/view ... ?t=9737">6. Hunted</a>
<A href="http://blissfulignorance.com/phpBB/view ... ?t=9769">7. The Cowardly Lion</a>
<A href="http://blissfulignorance.com/phpBB/view ... ?t=9823">8. Across The Poppy Field</a>
<A href="http://blissfulignorance.com/phpBB/view ... ?t=9871">9. Lost in a Mirage</a>
<A href="http://blissfulignorance.com/phpBB/view ... t=9872">10. Shadow</a>
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<center>CHAPTER XI ? The Emerald City</center>
A cold, shivering group of weary travellers finally skidded to a stop where the fields cleared and the hard, packed ground the city rested on began. Tinman had frozen up just beyond the snowfall, still poised in the act of running forward. Relena busied herself with oiling him as the others shook off the snow that covered them. Once he was free, Tinman flexed his arms and legs, his eyes shimmering with gratitude he could not convey. Relena smiled back in response but the moment was cut short when they were spattered with water from Lion shaking out his mane in their vicinity.
?Watch what you?re doing,? Tinman winced, lifting up his arm to shield himself from stray drops falling into his joints.
?Urgh, you try having a mane that soaks up water like a sponge,? Lion smoothed his mane down with his paw, ?This is going to fluff up, I know it.?
The clouds above them began to shift and the snowfall lessened, the last few flakes fluttering to the ground. The field was now a bleak, white canvas behind them. With Quatre?s boost of power, the snow had covered every single poppy and the dying land they had created in their wake. It appeared to have swallowed Quatre and Dorothy up too, since they were nowhere to be seen. Relena hoped they were safe wherever they were and made a mental note to thank them for their help next time they met.
?I bet you they hightailed it out of here as soon as they could,? Scarecrow commented, also observing the empty field. ?We?d better follow suit,? He tugged at his collar nervously; ?We have a witch after us remember??
?Wuff!? Toto barked, throwing excited glances at the city and pawing the ground impatiently. Relena nodded and moved forward, following him as he raced ahead.
The outer wall of the city stretched upwards endlessly until it became obscured by the bright sky. Its emerald surface was unblemished and when Relena reached out, she found it smooth to the touch. They followed the edge of the wall until their feet came upon the yellow brick road again at last. Relena sighed as her shoes clicked upon its surface and felt relief wash through her. The road had widened considerably during its path through the field and now it spanned so wide that eight men could stand in a line across it, arms apart. Its width accommodated the doors of the Emerald city that it disappeared underneath. They were huge, embedded into the wall with bolts larger than Relena?s fist.
Relena felt a little of her elation die away at the sight; it seemed impossible that such immense doors could ever be opened for the insignificant group that stood before it. More to the point was the question of how they were to ?announce? their presence. Scarecrow rapped his cloth knuckles on one of the solid doors and pressed his ear against it.
?It?s pretty thick,? He shook his head, ?I doubt anybody will hear us.?
?There must be a way to open it,? Relena reasoned.
?The great doors were always open once,? Lion explained. ?The Emerald Guards stood watch at the entrance and all manner of travellers were permitted through.?
?These are times of war,? Tinman cut in, his face troubled. ?The doors have been closed as a defence against the witch. No one travels to the Emerald city anymore; those who do are not to be trusted.?
?Even so,? Relena said stubbornly, ?There must be a way to get it open.?
?Of course there?s a way,? Scarecrow passed his hands over the door searchingly. ?Just need to find it.?
?Tinman is right,? Lion snorted, ?It is foolish to think those inside will let us through. Do we even look like we can be trusted??
?We?ll just have to convince them that we?re here to see the wizard, nothing more.? Relena said adamantly, joining Scarecrow in his inspection of the door.
Lion shook his head. ?This is crazy,? He muttered.
?Be quiet you and make yourself useful,? Relena scolded. ?Stop being so difficult.?
?I am not being difficult,? Lion defended, ?I?m just enlightening you to the unlikely probability of succeeding.? Nevertheless, he padded over to the door and, in an attempt to help, tried to push it using his weight. Despite being the heaviest of the group, the door didn?t budge in the slightest. It wasn?t surprising, it would take much more than all of them combined to budge it.
As Lion surveyed the door, his eyes were caught by the scrabbling of Toto beside him. The little dog whined in disappointment and pawed at the door. Lion watched on as Toto stopped suddenly and began to snuffle his nose around a particular section.
Lion raised an eyebrow, ?Found something runt?? He asked mildly.
Toto raised his head to stare back at the huge beast silently. He pressed his paw against the wall of the door.
?Wuff!?
?Hmm,? Lion nudged the dog to the side easily. Toto yelped in protest and glared back at the large feline. Lion lowered his head, sniffing once tentatively at the door. Nothing struck his nose in particular. He raised his head to Toto, ?There?s nothing here.?
Toto gave him a weary look, barked once and then scrabbled at the wall with his paws.
Lion shook his head, ?I can?t see anything,? He sighed
Toto gave an exasperated growl and rushed past Lion, barking loudly. When he had attracted Relena?s attention he raced back to the same section of the door and started scrabbling at it, giving Relena a meaningful look.
?What is it?? Relena asked. Stepping closer to get a better look.
?It?s nothing,? Lion snorted.
Toto gave him a silent glare and then whined at Relena, scratching urgently at the surface and looking quite desperate.
Relena nodded, ?Okay, okay. I got it. There?s something here. We?ll all look.?
?Maybe it?s weaker here?? Scarecrow rubbed his chin, staring at the section in question. He was standing so close; his nose was almost pressed against it. ?Or maybe there?s a smaller entrance??
?Staring at it like that won?t help,? Relena laughed.
?There are no markings or cracks to indicate any entrance,? Tinman stated, inspecting the surface. ?The wall is completely smooth.?
?Wuff!? Toto snuffled around the ground and then pawed at the wall.
Lion rolled his eyes, ?What are you expecting? The door will just open up when we touch it?? He extracted a claw and prodded it.
There was a rumble and the ground suddenly disappeared beneath them leaving nothing but a gaping hole. Simultaneously they fell into darkness and it closed over them with the same rumble, cutting off their cries.
<center>~~~+~~~</center>
Above, in the skies, a black crow soaring over the land espied the group of people by the wall of the city. Circling around to get a better view, its sharp eyes spotted the sparkle of ruby and the telling characteristics of the girl that wore them. It watched as they disappeared into the ground and cawed once in retrospection. Flapping its wings in succession, it turned towards the west with all the speed it could muster. Far and far it flew until the witch?s castle came in sight. The crow swooped above the battlements and flew up the wall of the highest tower until it came to the opening that was the only window. It entered to find the witch hunched over her crystal ball, arms out on either side holding the pedestal tightly.
The crow alighted upon the edge of the desk and tilted its head at the still witch. A cascade of red and black colours shimmered across her dress and she trembled slightly.
?Yes I know,? She rose finally, putting her hand over half her face with a strained look. ?I saw them enter.? She moved aside and faced the crow, ?This is what you?ve come to tell me isn?t it??
The clouds within the crystal ball were dark and swirled wildly in turmoil. The crow blinked and shifted uneasily, its claws scratching against the wooden desk.
?The clouds will not part,? Une moaned.
Her voice then became light and strangely subdued, ?Once they pass beyond the Emerald walls your wicked eyes cannot follow them.?
?I know!? Une screamed at herself suddenly, startling the crow. ?But how? I underestimated her? No! Look at the snow on the ground? it can be none other than Dorothy who is behind this. Quinze you useless idiot.? She sank to the floor.
?More graceful?I have to be graceful.? Une tilted her head back, her hand still clutching half of her face. ?I didn?t count on Dorothy to intervene. I was too sure of myself.? She admitted calmly.
?All are allied against you in this war that you wage,? She sighed at herself in despair. ?Your quest for power has blinded your judgement and your mind. Do you not see this??
?Be silent.? Une said sharply. ?I was reckless to leave her in other hands and I have paid for it. But if you think this is over then you are wrong; the war has only just begun. Let them all stand against me. In the end they will bow down at my feet and beg for forgiveness once the throne is mine. I still have many cards to play.? She removed her hand from her face and smiled, ?The people of the Emerald City are already afraid of me but I shall strike such fear into their hearts that they will gladly surrender the girl and her companions.?
She stood there silently for a moment and when there was silence in the room for a few seconds she laughed out loud.
?No more words dear sister?? She clapped her hands together, ?How delightful!? She spread her hand out to the crow and it flew to her obediently. Fluidly, she rose to her feet and began to make her way down the stone steps.
?You haven?t reported to Seven my lovely,? Une stroked the crow gently. ?He has been trying to account for all of you after G left us.?
The crow bowed its head humbly.
?We shall seek him out now.? Une reached the bottom of the tower and walked down the dark corridors to the aviary.
The aviary was a round room that protruded from the inner section of the castle. Tall slits were carved into the wall, allowing beams of light to fall into the room and strike the floor in the same place. Hundreds of wooden perches were affixed into the wall, occupied by crows of all shapes and sizes. They cried at the sight of her and flapped their wings in greeting.
An animal stood hunched at the far end of the aviary, scrawling notes on a piece of paper. It perked its tin ears up and flicked its head back at her as she approached. It was a fox with bright, yellow glass eyes that scanned her carefully. She held out her hand with the crow seated upon it.
?Excellent,? Seven hissed between his teeth and turned to scrawl once more on his piece of paper. ?We now have five hundred and eleven crows accounted for.?
Une raised her hand and the crow flew off to alight on one of the wooden perches that were free. ?How many tin warriors can be mobilised immediately??
Seven narrowed his yellow eyes and shuffled his papers, ?About a thousand?but Master says he is working on a special project which could be the equivalent of twenty warriors. He has not finished yet.?
?There is no time to wait for J,? Une said coldly. ?If we move quickly then we have the advantage. Mobilise the troops at once to be sent to the Emerald City.?
The tin fox?s eyes flickered in surprise. ?At once,? He bowed low, the metal plates forming his tail chinking against each other as he did so.
Une raised her arms to the crows, ?Your king is gone but in his name you shall be my eyes and ears once again and scour the lands. Ravens watch the Emerald City. The rest of you circle the four corners of OZ and watch for trouble, especially from the other keepers. I cannot take any more chances. Go!?
The room was clouded in darkness by many feathered bodies taking flight in a flurry of feathers. Une watched them, Seven standing obediently beside her as they streamed through the slits in the aviary like black smoke.
<center>~~~+~~~</center>
The bottom of the hole sloped downwards and they found themselves sliding down a narrow tunnel in utter darkness. Relena tried to stop by digging her nails into the ground beneath her but only succeeded in dislodging soil and dirt with her efforts. Soon enough, a square block of light appeared, growing bigger as they descended. The tunnel ended and they emerged into the light, greeted by a bare room with green coloured stone walls.
Lion landed first, grunting loudly as he hit the ground. Scarecrow came after, flying out the tunnel exit and bouncing off Lion with bits of straw flying everywhere. Relena flew out next, landing on top of Lion and sliding off him. As she sat in daze, Toto flew out with a yelp and landed right in her lap. Tinman came last, digging his right heel and left hand in the ground to slow his descent. He tumbled out with a clatter and a clang, landing short of Lion. Groaning, they all tried to gather themselves together.
A series of resounding clicks stopped them in their tracks. Relena looked around carefully and discovered the space that they had landed in revealed itself to be a depression in a much larger room. Above them, they were surrounded by a dozen men aiming rifles, the likes of which she had never seen, at them.
?You think you can pry around the walls and nobody will notice?? Drawled a voice among them. ?It takes hard work to build?em up strong so we don?t like anybody touching them do we boys??
There was a grunt of mutual agreement among the men.
?We didn?t know,? Relena apologised. We?? Automatically, the rifles turned to point at her. ??We just wanted to get inside the city.?
?So now she?s sending pretty dames to do her dirty work eh?? The voice rolled out.
?Look buddy,? Scarecrow rose with his hands out placatingly, ?We?re not the bad guys here. If you just give us a?? he stepped forward and a spray of bullets were fired at his feet. Scarecrow jumped back in surprise and sank down beside Relena. ?Woah,? He fanned himself with his hand, ?These guys mean business.?
Relena lifted her gaze to them. ?Listen to me,? She said calmly, without moving from her position. ?We are trying to escape from the witch. All we want to do is see the Wizard, we want nothing else.?
There was a murmur among the men. After a short pause the voice emerged from them again. ?A likely story. The Wizard has been holed up in the Emerald Palace and hasn?t spoken or been seen by anyone for years. Everyone?s starting to believe he?s no longer in the Emerald City anymore.?
Relena sat there in stunned silence as the words sunk in. She could sense the disappointment of the others around her and feel their eyes turn towards her for direction but she didn?t know what to do with this news. She hadn?t even considered such a thing could happen once they reached the Emerald City, she had simply put all her being into getting here and believing things would work out. She bent her head and met Toto?s soulful green eyes looking up at her.
?But how can that be?? She whispered. ?Quatre told me??
??He is very mysterious and no one has ever been granted entrance to see him.?
To have come so close only to find it was all in vain; would she never get home then? To give up now would be to accept that. Her heart clenched at the thought.
Quatre, She thought desperately, what am I supposed to do now?
Why would he send her on this path if there was no hope? He had to have known and if that was so, then perhaps there was something she was supposed to do or say? Her brows furrowed in concentration, she needed to show she was a friend but what could she say that would convince her captors?
?I know Quatre, the Keeper of the South!? She announced, lifting her chin.
?Is that so?? The voice chuckled. ?Prove it.?
It hadn?t worked and Relena faltered. ?I?I don?t know how I can prove it but its true! You have to believe me. I have journeyed all the way from the South lands evading a witch who seems to have a vendetta against me. It wasn?t easy and there were all sorts of troubles on the way so I?m not turning back and definitely not giving up!? She forged on in determination. ?The Wizard will see me!?
As she emitted her last words with emphasis, the ruby slippers on her feet shimmered from toe to heel. Oblivious to it, she stared hard into the fray of rifles pointed at her, her gaze unwavering. As soon as the shimmer faded from the heel of her slippers, there was a bright white flash above her and everyone gasped. She felt her skin warm as if it were absorbing the light of the sun itself. The light above her diminished to a dull glow and she felt strangely confident all of a sudden.
The men surrounding them suddenly doubled back and there was confusion amid frantic whispers. Relena stared at them in bewilderment wondering what she had said or done.
?Wuff wuff!? Toto barked, placing his paws on her arm and staring not quite at her eyes, just above. She turned to the others in puzzlement and found them staring at her in the same way.
?What?? She asked worriedly.
?Your head seems to be aglow,? Lion explained steadily, not looking as surprised as everyone else. ?Are you sure you?re not a witch??
?Yes!? Relena rubbed her forehead with her arm. ?What is it??
?Hold on a minute,? Said the voice in consternation. The rifles moved apart and a man jumped down. He was aged and bald at the top with grey hair sprouting from the sides of his head and his chin. The most discerning feature about him was his emerald sunglasses which completely obscured his eyes and the brightly coloured shirt he wore. He straightened slowly and squinted at her.
?Come here girl.? He beckoned.
Lion, Scarecrow and Tinman immediately moved forward protectively but the resounding click of rifles above them alerted them of their helplessness. ?It?s all right,? Relena reassured, getting up with Toto still in her arms. She approached the man slowly and stopped just before him. Toto?s eyes widened at him, flickering wildly as they became dark. Despite this, he remained silent and said nothing.
The old man bent slightly and swiped away the strands of her fringe with his hand. His glasses fell slightly lower on his nose as he peered at her forehead. Relena stared in stunned silence as he moved back and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. A grin developed on his face.
?Nope, there?s no mistaking it. I recognise the mark.? He nodded, ?its Quatre?s sign that is.?
?Quatre?s sign?? Relena touched her forehead and recalled that Quatre had planted a kiss there?
?There is something I can do for you??
?Yup,? The old man continued, ?The two sickles crossed over each other; his symbol as a Keeper. It has been such a long time,? He said, tracing the lines on her head with a fond look as he lost himself in memories. ?I knew him before he became the Wizard of the South. Times have changed so much and we have had to change with them. I remember when he was a young boy...?
Toto?s ears perked up.
?He was a good kid. I can still picture him; fresh-faced and bright, running across the battlements so carefree.? His face became downcast, ?And then, he was also best friends with??
?Wuff wuff! Wuff!?
?Toto!? Relena tried to restrain Toto as he pushed forward, barking eagerly. The old man raised his eyebrow at the dog.
?Wuff wuff!? Toto urged at him.
The old man stared back at him blankly, ?What?s up with the little fella??
Toto?s barking faded as he deflated, ears sinking down. He buried his head in Relena?s arms with a whine. Relena stroked his head comfortingly and shook her head, ?I have no idea.?
?Well,? The old man coughed awkwardly, ?Quatre?s marked you and it would seem that you are who you say you are. A friend of Quatre?s is welcome in the city.?
Relena?s eyes widened, ?Does that mean you?ll let us in??
?Well,? The old man rubbed his head, ?Don?t count your chickens so soon. The mark?s on you but not your buddies.?
?I can vouch for them all,? Relena pleaded, ?They?re with me.?
?I trust you,? The old man nodded, ?There?s just one problem.? He turned to Tinman, ?J made you.? He said frankly.
?Yes,? Tinman replied.
?I?d have to be crazy to let one of J?s creations in.? The man sighed. ?I know a bit about working tin and I can see J has surpassed even the greatest of tin smiths looking at you. The workmanship is excellent but that just makes you more of a threat. I can?t forget whose side you?re on.?
Relena came forward and took his arm gently, ?He?s not working for J anymore,? She pleaded. ?He?s come to see the Wizard too and ask for a heart.?
?A heart?? The old man gave Tinman a curious look. ?J didn?t give you a heart eh? Sounds like the bugger all right. He?s a loony.? He shook his head and twisted, removing Relena?s hand from his arm and clasping it. His eyes narrowed and he seemed to reach a sudden decision. ?All right, you guys can enter the city?but you?re sticking with me so I can keep an eye on you.?
Relena?s face transformed into one of relief and gratefulness. ?Thank you mister!?
The man grinned and shook her hand, ?The name?s Howard.? He chuckled.
?I?m Relena,? She replied. ?And this is Toto.?
Howard reached down and patted Toto lightly, ?Nice little doggie.? Toto growled under his breath and didn?t bother to lift his head. Howard gave him a confused look and then shrugged it off.
?These are my friends: Tinman, Scarecrow and Lion.? Relena continued.
Howard?s gaze focused on Lion, ?You?re one of the Lion clan??
Lion gave him a haughty look, ?Could I be anything else??
?You could be anything in these times,? Howard replied sadly. ?It?s hard not to notice a great beast like you lurking in this group but I didn?t trust to take a chance. Truth be told, I didn?t think any of your kind had survived. You should?ve come into the city long ago for sanctuary but I guess you lot were always stubborn. Glad to see you survived.?
Lion bowed his head, ?At what cost?? He murmured and fell silent.
?Well,? Said Howard, turning and signalling with his hand. The rifles lowered and a thick stone door scraped aside to reveal a passage with stairs to the upper level. ?Let?s get moving.?
?You?ll take us to see the Wizard now?? Relena asked hopefully, following him up the stairs with the others behind her.
?Not yet,? Howard shook his head, ?Not being rude or anything but you guys look really beat up so why not get some rest today and I figure the Wizard will still be here tomorrow, if he?s here at all.?
Howard?s words made Relena realise the state she was in. Her skin was still damp from the snow and she became acutely aware of how grubby she felt on account of sleeping rough. Pausing, she lifted a hand to her hair and winced as her fingers caught in its many tangles. She must look a mess! The thought of being clean again suddenly seemed very appealing.
They approached the upper level and Relena saw the men dispersing through open doorways carved into the walls.
?They look like they got somewhere to be,? Scarecrow said curiously.
?Yeap,? Howard replied, leading them into one of the doorways, down a long, dark passageway flanked with torches. ?They all got jobs to do. We Sweepers spend our time maintaining the walls in case of an attack. Can?t get lazy now.?
The passageway seemed endless, torches flickering like beacons to guide their way. ?We?re about to pass into the city,? Howard gestured upwards at the ceiling. ?We?re in a network of tunnels that allow us to get to any part of the wall really quickly. Down here we remain hidden and can stay near the wall without getting in the way of the Emerald guards who watch from the top.?
?How come they didn?t see us?? Relena wondered out loud.
?Oh they saw you girl,? Howard stared at her over the rim of his glasses. ?Saw you and did nothing. They?ve become cold over time those guards. They will only act for something that will threaten the city; they saw you and probably decided the wall itself would deter you.?
The passage finally widened out to reveal a large platform. The ceiling gave way and a long shaft rose upwards till faint shafts of light from the outside could be seen shining down. In the middle of the platform sat a lift large enough to house all of them comfortably. A railing, inset with gold-patterned swirls, skirted its edges. Relena ran her fingers along it wonderingly as she stepped in. Once the others were in, Howard positioned himself near the pulley mechanism and pulled a lever towards him. The ropes began to creak and the platform shuddered once before moving upwards slowly.
Everyone except Howard lifted their heads upwards silently, watching the lift slowly approach the top. The anticipation could be felt strongly from each of them. Relena felt her heart beating wildly in excitement. Toto stirred in her arms, perhaps disturbed by its pounding, and lifted his head too. The despair that was previously apparent in his eyes slowly faded as the lift continued its ascent. He lifted himself and placed his paws on Relena?s shoulders, stretching himself upwards as if urging the lift to go faster.
?Wuff!? He barked softly.
?You can say that again poochy,? Scarecrow agreed, his eyes wide with wonder. ?I?d never imagined I would ever be here in my wildest dreams. It?s the stuff of legends.?
?I don?t really deserve to be here,? Lion hung his head, ?I am not worthy of this place.?
?There there,? Scarecrow patted Lion, ?Don?t be so gloomy buddy.? He glanced upwards. ?Brace yourself now ?cause here we go. It?s gonna be a helluva eye opener.?
The lift entered into the light shining down the shaft and was bathed in its glow. When it emerged from the shaft, the glare of the city was so bright that everyone was forced to shield their eyes. Howard adjusted his green sunglasses and chuckled. ?Your eyes will get used to it soon enough.?
?Why can?t we have glasses like you?? Scarecrow grumbled, squinting underneath the shield of his arm.
?You don?t need any,? Howard grinned. ?I?m just an old man who has poor eyes.?
?That?s what you say, Grandpa,? Scarecrow grumbled. The lift jerked to a halt and Howard opened the door, walking out confidently while the others stumbled after him and stopped, waiting for their eyes to adjust.
Relena blinked and strained to open her eyes further than halfway but the light was too bright. She could make out tall towers forming the skyline of the city before her. They shimmered light and dark shades of green, shining like glass. Toto barked lightly again and started wriggling in her arms. She loosened her hold and he jumped down to the ground. Shielding her eyes, she tried to follow his fuzzy shape darting around. Concentrating hard, it gradually became more defined as her eyes adjusted. Soon she could make him out clearly, his little ears were perked up and he was jumping and yipping in a way she had never heard before. It sounded happy, no, overjoyed.
Relena lifted her head to the towers, standing like sentinels against the sky. They were circled by stairs and connected by walkways forming a network of paths between them. Levelled platforms branched off, housing buildings of various shapes. Everything was green, shades of green that reflected against the bright sky and dazzled the eyes. Relena parted her lips but couldn?t even produce a sigh to symbolise her appreciation. The city seemed beautiful from a distance but this close, it had taken her breath away. The others were similarly affected; Lion gazed on in wonder like her, Scarecrow had not uttered a word for a while amazingly, and even Tinman seemed mystified.
?Wuff! Wuff wuff!? Toto barked excitedly at her and then darted around in a circle.
?I?m glad we made it too,? Relena laughed in agreement and turned to face the sky, ?Soon we can go home Toto.?
Toto stopped in his tracks and gave her a solemn stare as she closed her eyes and smiled, basking in the light of the city.
?Yo guys,? Howard called out, forcing them to drag their eyes away and focus on their immediate surroundings. They were standing in a courtyard with blocks of apartments spanning the edges.
?This is where the Sweepers live with their families,? Howard explained, ?We?ve sorted out some rooms for you. I?ll take you to your rooms and then you can get cleaned up.?
?This is very nice of you,? Relena said nervously. ?But you don?t have to??
?Don?t fret about it,? Howard held up his hand to stop her, ?You?re our guests now and I?ll be damned if I don?t make sure you?re taken good care of.?
?Thank you,? Relena smiled at him gratefully.
Howard went pink. ?Shall we get going?? He coughed into his hand and moved off. He led them to the nearest block and up, across the balcony of the first floor. They walked past many men, women and children, some who gave them curious stares. The children were the boldest, openly showing their interest, especially in Lion. He turned back and growled at them, when they started following, in an attempt to scare them off.
?Kitty,? Said one little girl innocently, not frightened in the slightest.
Relena fought back laughter as she saw Lion?s eye twitch in response.
A middle-aged woman stepped out from one of the doors ahead.
?Here we go,? Howard gestured and led the others to her.
?I have made preparations,? The woman spoke up, smiling at all of them, ?Cannot go out in the city looking as you are now.? She turned to Relena, Lion and Toto, ?Hot baths are ready for you.?
?Thank you,? Relena said, humbled by the kind treatment.
?I?m not having a bath!? Lion retorted.
?You need one more than any of us,? Scarecrow joked merrily.
?Be quiet or I?ll rip you apart,? Lion snapped. The children giggled, watching the scene from a safe distance. Lion looked back at them, ?Well, if it gets me away from them,? He strode into the room the woman pointed out for him.
Relena glanced down at Toto, ?Coming?? She smiled.
Toto sat down on his haunches and looked at her uncertainly. She tilted her head and crouched down, ?What?s wrong? Don?t you want a bath either?? She ran her fingers along the fur on top of his head. Toto whined and then lay down, resting his head on his paws, indicating that he would stay here. Relena seemed a little startled at his decision.
?Okay, just wait here I guess then. But I?ll give you a bath later myself if I have to,? She warned lightly. Toto didn?t respond and Relena rose, following the woman into another room throwing Toto a worried glance over her shoulder.
?A bath wouldn?t help me much and he can?t have one,? Scarecrow jerked his thumb toward Tinman.
Howard grinned, ?And don?t I know it! I?ve made other arrangements for you guys, just follow me.?
Tinman turned to Toto, ?Will you be all right?? He asked in a monotone.
Toto blinked up at him at surprise, and then raised his head slightly. ?Wuff,? He replied.
Tinman nodded and turned to Howard to continue. Howard gave Toto a kindly smile and then started to lead the others down the corridor, Toto looking after him miserably.
After they had turned a corner, Toto?s gaze turned back to the door Relena had disappeared behind. He pressed his face close to the wall beside it and closed his eyes for a moment. He raised his head to gaze upon the Emerald towers with a strange look in his eyes. There was a pause where the little terrier seemed to consider something, weighing his options together. With one last look towards Relena?s door, Toto turned and scampered away quietly, down to the ground and across the other end of the courtyard where he disappeared among the crates stacked by the alley between the apartment blocks.
<center>~~~+~~~</center>
?I?ll take your clothes for you,? The woman began to gather Relena?s scattered clothes.
?Wait! Please not those,? She shifted to the edge of the tub and plucked the item from the woman?s hands.
?Sorry,? Relena offered, seeing the woman?s alarm at her behaviour, ?They have sentimental value and I don?t like them to be out of my sight.?
The woman nodded in understanding, although she still looked a little dubious, and excused herself, mumbling quickly that she would get Relena?s clothes washed for her and that there were clothes on the bed for her to wear in the meantime. Relena thanked her kindly as she left, feeling guilty about the awkwardness she had caused.
Once the woman had left, Relena placed the red slippers on the floor. She stared at them thoughtfully, crossing her arms over the edge of the tub and placing her chin on them. It was almost impossible to believe that this was the first time she was looking at them while they were not on her feet. She flexed her toes in the water and sighed.
What was she supposed to do with them now anyway? Quatre had advised her to get to the Emerald City not only to see the Wizard but also to bring these very shoes into its shelter. So who could she hand them over to? Surely her responsibility for them was now over? Relena groaned and sank under the water, letting it claim her for a few seconds. When she resurfaced she closed her eyes and leaned back wearily. If she wasn?t careful, she surmised, she would probably end up falling asleep in this tub. It was better to finish up now and get out, otherwise she would end up staying forever soaking in the hot water.
She glanced towards the closed door as she got out and wrapped a towel around her, her thoughts turning to Toto. He was acting strangely and she couldn?t understand why. He had expressed happiness on entering the city but had suddenly become troubled and sad. Relena dressed in the clothes left for her on the bed, all green, wondering how she could communicate with him and find out what was wrong.
She brushed her hands through her wet hair quickly, placed her feet once again inside the slippers and went to the door to get Toto.
?Hey?? She started to say but stopped short when her eyes fell upon the empty space beside the door. She looked around in surprise. ?Toto??
She looked out over the balcony into the courtyard below but he wasn?t anywhere to be seen. He could be with the others, she reasoned, he didn?t have to be around her all the time after all. She didn?t feel right about it though; there had been something about his behaviour...she clasped her hand above her heart in worry, being unable to shake the feeling that for some reason, Toto had gone.
But that was crazy, why would Toto leave? Where would he go? She leaned tiredly over the balcony and suddenly felt like she was going to drop. ?Toto?? She murmured.
?Relena! Hey Relena!?
She lifted her head slowly just as Scarecrow jumped beside her, ?Look at me!? He put his hands on his hips and stood proudly, ?They re-stuffed me and made me new clothes!?
Sure enough, gone were the patches holding his clothes together and his straw had been tidied up so it no longer stuck out from his wrists and ankles. Relena wondered how long that would last and she smiled faintly, ?Wow, you look good.?
?You look all nice and fresh too good-looking,? Scarecrow patted her on the head. ?Now what?s wrong??
?Have you seen Toto?? Relena asked.
?Nope,? He scratched his head, ?Have you checked with Tinman and Lion?? She shook her head. ?Well come on then.?
Tinman was sitting on his bed, inspecting the shine on his polished tin. Howard had galvanised the exposed areas on his joints with Zinc to prevent him rusting up so easily he explained, something he had never considered himself. When asked about Toto, his eyes narrowed and he regarded Relena thoughtfully for a moment before shaking his head no, he hadn?t seen the little dog at all.
?I?ll help you look for him,? He said steadily.
Lion was growling and pacing agitatedly in his room. His fur was all clean and fluffy to the touch, as he feared. The children had not left him alone even in the bath and had pounced on him, offering to help him scrub.
?It was horrible,? Lion shuddered.
What was more, one of the little children, the girl who had called him ?kitty? had somehow managed to get on his back and comb his dark mane into a little ponytail at the back.
?I can?t get it off!? Lion wailed, pawing at the back of his head. ?Injustice!?
It took a while to calm him down before Relena could even ask him about Toto.
?No I haven?t seen the runt,? Lion admitted.
?Where could he be?? Relena bit her lip.
?We should tell Howard,? Scarecrow suggested, ?He?s in charge around here so he might be able to help out.?
Howard organised a few of his men into search parties and everyone was told to keep an eye out. Relena and the others searched the compound for hours to no avail.
?We?ll keep looking until we find him,? Tinman promised when things were looking hopeless and Relena seemed as if she might cry.
?Mmm?? Relena nodded, unable to shake off the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.
?You should rest,? Tinman continued, observing her closely.
?I?m fine,? She smiled, ?I?ll keep looking too.?
?No,? Tinman countered. When she stared at him she saw his eyes glowing gently, ?You?re going to your room.?
?Why Tinman,? Scarecrow sniffed from behind them, ?I?d say that was genuine concern in your voice.?
Tinman glared at him, ?Are you following me??
?No,? Scarecrow winked, ?I just have perfect timing.?
?Hn.? Tinman turned away, ?I?m going back to searching.?
?I?ll take you to your room Rel,? Scarecrow offered.
?What? But I?? Relena protested.
?Tinman?s right, you look really tired and I?m not surprised, you?ve had a longer day than any of us.?
She didn?t have to ask what he meant and decided not to argue. They walked back in silence and she opened the door of her room.
?Toto!? She gasped in relief at the little brown terrier lying on her bed with his eyes closed. She rushed forward and sat on the edge of the bed beside him, ?Oh where have you been??
Toto opened his eyes and peered up at her tiredly. He lifted his head, his eyes lighting up once they saw her. ?Wuff!? He barked.
She shook her head and tried to look cross, ?We?ve been looking for you everywhere! I was worried sick.?
?I?d better tell the others to stop searching,? Scarecrow said, sounding relieved. He patted Toto on the head, ?Don?t do that again Poochy,? He warned lightly before leaving.
Relena scooted further up the bed and flopped down beside Toto with a groan. ?Now I can rest easy,? She grumbled. Turning on her side to face him she pursed her lips, ?Why did you disappear like that??
Toto tilted his head at her.
?Do you know how scared I was? It felt like that night when Une took you away,? Her eyes saddened, ?It seems so long ago I?d almost forgotten about it.?
?And I couldn?t shake the feeling that you had left,? She confessed. Toto?s ears perked up. ?And that there was a reason you went but I don?t know what it was,? She reached out and stroked his head, ?Will you tell me??
?Wuff wuff,? Toto barked quietly after a pause. He reached over and licked her face tenderly. Relena smiled and curled up against his little body, snuggling close.
??And why you came back?? She asked sleepily, closing her eyes.
Toto gave her a soft look and whined softly before licking her once more.
?Mmm?? Relena murmured, drifting off into a much awaited sleep. ?I?m glad you came back,? She sighed, ?I?m glad you?re not leaving after all.?
<center>TBC</center>
<hr>
A/N:
Character equivalents:
Howard: Guard at the door to Emerald city:
Allusions to the series (did you spot them?)
Chapter IX:
?a file full of papers tucked under his arm. It was so precariously positioned that it came as no surprise when he lost his grip and papers scattered all over the carpet?
The scene at Relena?s party where Mr Darlian drops his folder and photographs of operation meteor fall out.
?It?s okay father,? She said brightly, ?I?m old enough to understand now how important your business is to you.?
Relena says something similar to her father at the beginning of her birthday party when he has to leave on business.
?Relena. Look carefully. Never forget how beautiful the world is around you??
Mr Darlian says something similar when Relena and he are returning from the colonies for the first time.
?Don?t trouble yourself about me father. It?s only a short walk from here and I?m quite capable of finding my way.?
Relena says something similar when after they land on Earth and Mr Darlian has to rush off to work, this is before she finds Heero on the beach.
Two girls she recognised as her classmates scattered from the fray and started running in her direction. ?Relena!? They cried as an explosion suddenly rocked the main building and sent them tumbling into her arms.
This actually happens in episode 6: party night.
?Her jacket was a lighter burgundy than Relena?s and the skirt was white, with more flare to it.
Relena?s uniform is described as the original Saint Gabriel?s uniform, burgundy. Dorothy is described as wearing the uniform of Relena?s academy in the Sanq kingdom because Dorothy never wears Saint Gabriel?s uniform in the series?aha!
Chapter X:
It was a gown, a beautiful royal blue gown with frills around the neckline and the hemline.
This alludes to the actual dress she wears for her birthday.
?Show us your pretty smile,? They all chorused.
One of Relena?s friends says the same sentence to her on her birthday when she is deep in her thoughts.
?No!? She said forcefully, breaking free from Kai?s grip. Everyone started at the outburst. Relena took a deep breath and calmed herself. ?Please stay here,? She rectified. ?Enjoy the party in my absence.? She turned and fled.
Similarly in the series, when Kai reveals that Heero is heading for the harbour, Relena goes after him and tells everyone else at the party to stay.
?I have never seen such a severe expression before,? She said worriedly.
Mrs Darlian also says this in the series after Relena leaves her party.
There's No Place Like Home ch.11
As always great chapter! I love this story! I saw how Une used the line "I have to be more graceful" Teize told Une that in the series when she was threatening the colonies to get the gundams to surender...I love how you're writing this and i'm so glad you updated! Keep them comming and i'll keep reviewing!
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Midge-14
- Fanfic demi-god(dess)|Fanfic demi-god|Fanfic demi-goddess
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:54 am
- Location: Sitting beside her collection of teddies
Thank you both 
its great to hear from you.
I forgot to mention that Tynan, who;s the author of Occam's Razor, drew me a wonderful fanart for this fic. You can see the picture on my deviantart, <a href="http://midge-14.deviantart.com/art/TNPL ... 4">here</a>.
its great to hear from you. I forgot to mention that Tynan, who;s the author of Occam's Razor, drew me a wonderful fanart for this fic. You can see the picture on my deviantart, <a href="http://midge-14.deviantart.com/art/TNPL ... 4">here</a>.
good you reminded me...its posted now in the forum so enjoy! 