Sorry for the long wait, but here's the next chapter. It's a songfic with the song from the Wizard of Oz. And just to remind you, I'm not having that dog-hating witch on the bike because...well, she's a witch from the dark pit itself! Anyway, enjoy the chapter.

Ch.3: Over the Rainbow

Spike and the girls sighed gloomily as they settled by the pen with the chickens.

"Someplace there ain't no trouble," Apple Bloom said before nibbling on one of the cupcakes Pinkie Pie gave them a few seconds ago. Scootaloo then turned to Spike.

"Think there's such a place, Spike?" she asked.

"Well, Twilight said that there might be if you look hard enough," he answered. "Course, she was probably referring to a book or something." Sweetie Bell sighed sadly as she stood up and strolled over to a small hale bale.

"There has to be," she said before hopping onto the bale and looking up at the sky. "Not a place to reach by boat or train; just far from our own home…maybe beyond the stars…" At that time, the little Unicorn broke into song.

Sweetie Belle: Somewhere over the rainbow

Way up high

There's a land that we've heard of

Once in a lullaby

Scootaloo then joined in, agreeing with her friends that there's another world beyond their own. If only they can reach it somehow.

Scootaloo: Somewhere over the rainbow

Skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream

Really do come true

Spike then watched the girls as Apple Bloom joined in. Can there really be another world out there…with a special magic of its own unlike Unicorn magic or the magic of the Princesses themselves?

Apple Bloom: Someday we'll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far

Behind us

Where troubles melt like lemon drops

Away above the chimney tops

That's where you'll find us

The little dragon then sighed and looked up at the clouds. If there is such a place as the girls said, it's probably not someplace you can find in a book. If only there was some magical way they can reach that world beyond Equestria…

CMCs: Somewhere over the rainbow

Bluebirds fly

Birds fly over the rainbow

Then why can't you and I?

Spike and the Cutie Mark Crusaders then smiled as the birds fluttered into the sky singing their songs as a gentle breeze swept around them.

CMCs: If happy little bluebirds fly

Beyond the rainbow

Why can't you and I?

Suddenly, the wind started to pick up and become far stronger. It wasn't long before the animals in the area started to panic, and Spike immediately saw why.

"TWISTER!" The four of them saw that it is indeed a twister heading towards Ponyville…and it's a big one too!

"We gotta get back to the girls!" Apple Bloom cried, and they all ran for it. What they don't know though is that this disastrous day starts their new adventure…

Ch.4: Wild Twister Ride

"APPLE BLOOM!"

"SWEETIE BELLE! SPIKE!"

"SCOOTALOO! WHERE ARE YA?" Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash called for their sisters and dragon over the howling wind of the storm. Oh, why did they have to tell those girls to go somewhere else so that they can get their work done?

"Girls, we gotta get into the shelter!" Twilight cried, rushing over to them.

"But we can't leave Spike and the girls!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "The twister might get them!"

"Fluttershy told them about the basement in her cottage! They can hide in there until the twister passes!" Hesitant, the three Ponies followed her into the shelter where Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie are waiting with some of the shy Pegasus' animal friends. Once they're all inside, Big Mac climbed in as well and closed and locked the door behind him.

Meanwhile, Spike and the Cutie Mark Crusaders are trying to fight back the strong wind as they tried to get to the shelter. When they got there, they knocked on the locked door.

"Twilight!" Spike called into it. "Open up! It's us!"

"They can't hear us through this wind!" Apple Bloom. "We gotta hide out in Fluttershy's basement!" Quickly, they rushed into the cottage as the twister started to come closer. Just when they were about to get blown away, all four of them made it through the doors.

But the inside of the cottage was just as bad; the strong wind was blowing the lightest objects all over the place. Fortunately, Spike spotted the door to the basement.

"Girls, there it—"

CRASH! The four of them cried out when a branch crashed into the window they're near, and it knocked into their heads to knock them out cold. As a result, they didn't have any time to make it to the basement as outside, the twister came up to the cottage and lifted the whole thing up from the ground.

The house then spun around and around and around as it flew within the giant behemoth…

Inside, Spike and the Cutie Mark Crusaders came to and groggily looked out the window…just to see two stallion Ponies rowing in a boat fly by! Other things flew across the window as well: a cow; an elderly Pony knitting away in her rocking chair; and a taxi wagon that honked as it drove by. Despite the idea being too dangerous, Spike ran up to the window and looked out to see what's going on. He then saw that they're flying within the funnel of the tornado.

"Girls, we're trapped in the cyclone!" he cried, turning to the scared fillies. Sweetie Belle then looked up with surprise.

"What's that?" she asked, pointing up at the window. All four turned to see a human woman in a dress and hat riding her bike. She then turned and smiled at them suspiciously before she started to change…into a witch on a broomstick! They all cowered back and held each other in fear as she cackled evilly and flew off.

"I'm scared!" Scootaloo cried before the cottage started spinning more roughly. With screams, they hopped onto the couch.

"Hang on, girls!" Spike cried as the couch slid back and forth across the floor. They felt the house spin more, not letting up on the fear it brings them. Just as they thought they couldn't take any more…

BOOM! They cried out with surprise when the house stopped with a shudder. They must have landed on the ground again.

"Is everypony okay?" asked Spike. Each filly answers that she's all right before jumping off of the couch.

"I think we better get back to Twilight and the girls," Sweetie Belle said.

"Yeah," Apple Bloom agreed. "They must be worried." They then rushed to the front door and opened it quickly…

Okay, here's the first part of their adventure you've been waiting for. Sorry if some of them aren't from Pikachu's Rescue, but I was trying to make it work a bit. I don't own any of the characters; and let me remind you that this story is a parody of the original Wizard of Oz. Also, I don't own the songs; I just rewrote it to make it work out in this chapter. Enjoy.

Ch.5: Pokemon of Poke-Town

Spike and the CMCs were in complete awe at what they saw when they stepped out of the cottage. It looks as though they've landed in a town square built to be part of a vast jungle. Even the small houses are made of thick jungle trees. It is also overgrown with flowers of various species and colors. And in the center of the square is a spiral-patterned brick floor made of two colored paths. One path (violet) leads into the forest just behind the town. The other path (yellow) leads across a fancy white bridge adorned with pink and red roses and into a vast plain opposite of the forest.

"Girls," Spike said to the little Ponies in awe, "something tells me we're not in Ponyville anymore." As they looked around, a few figures (they're really Pokemon) watched them curiously from their hiding places. A couple of Arbok, a Dragonair, and three Victreebell watched from the tree branches. Some Sunflora, Oddish, and Roselia peeked from within the flowers. Even a Poliwag or two with some Krabby and Tentacool poked up from the pond under the bridge to get a good look at the non-Pokemon creatures.

"It's almost like that tornado took us over the rainbow," stated Sweetie Belle with an awed smile.

"It's too bad Fluttershy isn't here," Apple Bloom said.

"Yeah," Scootaloo agreed. "She'd love this place to death." Spike then looked towards the pond and saw it start to bubble like something's about to emerge from the surface.

"Uh, girls," he asked, pointing at the pond nervously. "What's that?" They turned to the pond as ribbons of water flew up from the pond to form a sphere shape. They immediately stepped back as the sphere then vanished.

Within the sphere was a beautiful mermaid. She has blue eyes as bright as her gentle smile, and her red-orange hair crowned with a band of small white shells went down to her waist. Her tail is pale blue with a yellow starfish marking on her right hip, and she has on two pink seashells as bikini top.

"Whoa!" Spike said with surprise. "Now I know we're not in Ponyville anymore." The mermaid then floated to the edge of the pond and towards them.

"Excuse me, little ones," she asked kindly, "but are you good witches or bad witches?" The Ponies looked at each other with confusion before turning back to her.

"You mean us?" Apple Bloom answered. "We're not witches at all. I'm Apple Bloom, and I'm an Earth Pony."

"And I'm Sweetie Belle," her Unicorn friend added, "and I'm a Unicorn Pony."

"I'm Scootaloo," the third Pony stated, "and I'm a Pegasus Pony."

"And I'm Spike," the fourth member finished, "a baby dragon. We're from Ponyville. Uh, why did you ask if we're witches?"

"Well, the Pokemon informed me that some witches have dropped a house on the Wicked Witch of the East," the mermaid answered before motioning to the crumbling cottage. "There's the house…" She turned to the small ones. "And here you are…" She then turned to the ground under the cottage. "And that's the Wicked Witch of the East…well, what's left of her anyway."

Sweetie Belle gasped with shock at what she and the others saw. Sticking out from under the house was a pair of black-and-white-striped human boots. And on each ankle were three jeweled anklets, and each anklet was a different jewel: red ruby; orange amber; yellow topaz; green emerald; blue sapphire; and violet amethyst.

"So," the mermaid said, snapping them out of their shock, "the Pokemon wish to know if you are good witches or bad witches."

"But we already told you," Apple Bloom protested quickly, "we're not witches at all."

"Besides," Spike added," witches are old, ugly, and scary-looking." Suddenly, the group heard giggling and looked around only to see no one.

"What was that?" asked the surprised Scootaloo.

"The Pokemon of this town," the mermaid answered with a smile. "They're laughing because I am a witch. I am Misty, the Mermaid Witch of the North." The others gawked in reply.

"Really?" replied Sweetie Belle. "Oh, we're very sorry for saying something mean, Miss Misty. We've never seen a beautiful witch before."

"Well we do have ugly and frightening witches here," Misty explained, "but they're only of the evil variety."

"So…while good witches like you are beautiful," Spike replied with some thought, "the bad ones are ugly? I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Misty giggled in reply before continuing.

"The Pokemon and I here are grateful to you because the Witch of the East had terrorized and enslaved them for so long, and she had trapped me within this very pond so that I could not fight her. And because your cottage fell on her and killed her, we're now free."

"But…what are Pokemon?" asked Scootaloo. They looked around with surprise again when said creatures giggled again.

"They are the creatures that live in this town," Misty answered. "This is Poke-Town, and you have freed it from the witch's dark reign." She then turned to the town and called out to the hiding residents. "It's alright now; you may come and welcome them."

Misty: Come out, come out

Wherever you are

And meet the four darlings

Who fell from a star

Spike and the CMCs watched in awe as the Pokemon started to emerge from their hiding places, curiosity at their new heroes in their eyes. The group then followed Misty as she moved through the town square.

Misty: They fell from the sky

They fell very far

And Ponyville they say

Is the name of the star

Pokemon: Ponyville they say

Is the name of the star

More Pokemon appeared around Spike and the fillies, but their warm smiles made them less afraid of their new acquaintances. They must be just as friendly as Misty and just as caring.

Misty: They bring you good news

Or haven't you heard?

When they fell from Ponyville

A miracle occurred

Misty then brought the four youngsters onto a pedestal just by the pond. Thinking the Pokemon deserve the more exciting truth, they decided to tell them what really happened.

Sweetie Belle: It really was no miracle

What happened was just this

Apple Bloom: The wind began to switch

The house to pitch

Scootaloo: And suddenly the hinges

Started to unhitch

Spike: Just then, the Witch

To satisfy an itch

Went flying on her broomstick

Thumbing for a hitch

"And, oh," a Weepinbell replied with delight, "what happened then was rich." More Grass-Type Pokemon, as well as Fire and Rock Types, soon joined him.

FGR Pokemon: The house began to pitch

The kitchen took a stitch

It landed on the Wicked Witch

In the middle of a ditch

Which is not a healthy situation

For the Wicked Witch

The rest of the Pokemon then joined them as they danced about. As they were, a carriage drawn by two Ponyta drove up to the pedestal. The driver is a Machop, and the footman is a Slowpoke.

Pokemon: The house began to pitch

The kitchen took a stitch

It landed on the Wicked Witch

In the middle of a ditch

Which is not a healthy situation

For the Wicked Witch

Who began to twitch

And reduced to just a stitch

Of what was once

The Wicked Witch

Realizing that the ride's for them, Spike and the CMCs climbed into the carriage. At the other side of the vehicle, a Chansey and an Exeggcute approached them, and the six-egg Pokemon gave each of them a bouquet of flowers to show their gratitude.

Chansey: We thank you very sweetly

For doing it so neatly

Exeggcute: You've killed her so completely

That we thank you very sweetly

The girls thank the little eggs with smiles before turning to Misty, who began her announcement.

"Let the joyous news be spread," she cried with joy. "The Wicked Old Witch at last is dead!" They all cheered in reply before the carriage drove around the square followed by some Oddish, Hoothoot, Paras, and Sandshrew marching like Marine soldiers.

Pokemon: Ding-dong, the Witch is dead

Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch

Ding-dong, the Wicked Witch is dead

Wake up, you sleepyheads

Rub your eyes, get out of bed

Wake up, the Wicked Witch is dead

She's gone where the goblins go below

Below, below, yo-ho

Let's open up and sing

And ring the bells out

Ding-dong, the merry-oh

Sing it high, sing it low

Let them know the Wicked Witch is dead

Soon the carriage stopped before a large oak-house, and two Horsea hopped up and blew their mouths like trumpets. On cue, an Elekid stepped out, wearing a forest green sash diagonally across his chest, and behind him stepped out a Squirtle, a Psyduck, and a Marill. They then helped Spike and the fillies out of the carriage and onto the top of the steps outside of the oak-house. There the Elekid welcomed them personally before the other Pokemon.

Elekid: As Mayor of the fair Poke-Town

Within the vast Land of Oz

I welcome you most regally

Psyduck: But we've got to verify it legally

To see

Elekid: To see?

Psyduck: If she

Elekid: If she?

Psyduck: Is morally, ethically

Marill: Spiritually, physically

Squirtle: Positively, absolutely

MPS: Undeniably and reliably dead

The fillies couldn't blame the Water Pokemon's concern. The Witch could've activated a spell to protect herself at the last minute. They all then turned to a Duskull, which showed them a death certificate.

Duskull: As coroner I must aver

I thoroughly examined her

And she's not only merely dead

She's really most sincerely dead

Spike and the girls sighed with relief. So she didn't think fast after all.

"Then this is a day of independence," Mayor Elekid announced, "fore all the Pokemon and their descendents."

"If any," Psyduck interrupted quickly.

"Yes," the Mayor continued, ignoring the duck. "Let the joyous news be spread: the Wicked Old Witch at last is dead!" They all cheered in reply before dancing around.

Pokemon: Ding-dong, the Witch is dead

Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch

Ding-dong, the Wicked Witch is dead

Wake up, you sleepyheads

Rub your eyes, get out of bed

Wake up, the Wicked Witch is dead

She's gone where the goblins go below

Below, below, yo-ho

Let's open up and sing

And ring the bells out

Ding-dong, the merry-oh

Sing it high, sing it low

Let them know the Wicked Witch is dead

Some of the Pokemon soldiers then marched around before standing straight in attention a minute later. Then a trio of Bellossom danced before Spike and the CMCs like little ballet dancers.

Bellossom: We represent

The Bellossom League

The Bellossom League

The Bellossom League

And in the name of

The Bellossom League

We wish to welcome you

To Poke-Town

They blew a kiss to the heroes before returning to the crowds, and Spike and the girls returned the kiss. Then a Hitmonlee, a Hitmonchan, and a Hitmontop did some fighting moves/acrobatics for them before handing each of them a small medal…with chocolate inside!

Hitmon-Trio: We represent

The Hitmon-Bro Guild

The Hitmon-Bro Guild

The Hitmon-Bro Guild

And in the name of

The Hitmon-Bro Guild

We wish to welcome you

To Poke-Town

The crowds cheered, danced, and sang for their heroes.

"We welcome you to Poke-Town!" Mayor Elekid and his counselors also expressed their gratitude to them even further.

Elekid: From this day forth

You'll be history

Squirtle: You'll be history

Psyduck: You'll be history

Marill: You'll be history

EMPS: And we will glorify your names

Elekid: You will be a bust

Squirtle: Be a bust

Psyduck: Be a bust

Marill: Be a bust

EMPS: In the hall of fame

As Spike and the CMCs joined Misty, the Pokemon continued to sing and dance. The four heroes feel pretty good about themselves for saving these magnificent creatures. Maybe they'll get their Cutie Marks for killing witches…or saving Pokemon…or—

BOOM! Suddenly, a cloud of red-violet smoke exploded in the square, causing the Pokemon to scream, fall to the ground, and hide in terror. Spike and the CMCs also clung to Misty in fear, fearing that someone isn't happy about the Witch's death.

DUN DUN DUUUUUUN! Cliffhanger! Sorry about that, but I'd like to make it more interesting.

Ch.6: Wuya of the West

Spike, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle shuddered in fear as a woman emerged from the smoke. She has dark skin, long blood-red hair, and a long, black dress. She also has a frightening black-red-and-white mask on her face with a curved nose and demonic yellow eyes. The woman then removed her mask to reveal a dark-skinned face with menacing green eyes, lips darker than her hair, and black makeup to make her more frightening. The four youngsters couldn't even help but shiver as the woman went over to the crumbling cottage to look down at the feet sticking out.

"I thought you said she was dead," Scootaloo hissed to Misty, praying that she isn't really the Witch.

"That was her sister the Wicked Witch of the East," Misty explained as she tried to comfort the little ones. "That's Wuya, the Wicket Heylin Witch of the West. And I'm afraid she's far worse than the other one was."

"Now ya tell us," Apple Bloom whimpered as the woman Wuya turned to them and walked up to them.

"Who killed my sister?" she demanded softly. "Who killed the Witch of the East?" She then looked down at the little ones with a glare. "Was it you?"

"No, please," Sweetie Belle begged. "We didn't mean to. It was an accident!"

"Well, my dear," Wuya purred with an evil smile, "I can cause accidents too."

"Ha…sure, you can," Spike replied sarcastically. Wuya would've struck him down had Misty not spoken up.

"Wuya, had you not forgotten the Gem-Bands?" The other Witch's eyes lit up with delight at the question.

"The Bands…yes…" She then turned to the feet again and slowly walked up them. "The Gem-Bands…" But before she could take her fifth step, the bands on the boots suddenly vanished, and the boots rolled up from the toes, across the feet, and up the ankles to disappear under the house.

"They're gone!" Wuya cried with shock before turning to Misty threatening. "What have you done with them? Give them back to me, or I'll—"

"Too late," the mermaid said to her, holding her hand to the CMCs. "There they are, and there they'll stay." Spike and the girls then saw that each of the Ponies is now wearing a pair of the Gem-Bands, which has become one choker around her neck: ruby/emerald for Apple Bloom; amber/sapphire for Scootaloo; and topaz/amethyst for Sweetie Belle. They snapped out of their thoughts when Wuya spoke to them threateningly.

"You better give them back to me, you little brats. I'm the only one who knows how to use them; they're of no use to you. Give them back to me…Give them—ACH!" She jumped back with a cry when Spike blew a large tongue of fire at her to protect the girls.

"You keep back, you old hag," he growled, "or I'll make you uglier than you already are!"

"Well said, Spike," Misty said as she then turned to the girls. "And keep those bands good and secured around your necks. Their magic must be very special; otherwise, she wouldn't want them so badly."

"You stay out of this, Misty," Wuya snapped angrily, "or I'll fix you as well!" Misty only laughed lightly.

"Rubbish! You don't even have any power here."

"Yeah," Scootaloo yelled, "so get lost, or we'll drop a house on you too!" Wuya glanced up at the sky with a fearful wince before glaring down at the Ponies and dragon again.

"Very well…I'll buy my time. True, I cannot get back my Gem-Bands, but just try to stay away from me. Just try…I'll get you, my pretties, and your little dragon too." With an evil laugh, she rushed to the center of the square and put her mask back on. Then with a glow of its eyes, red-violet smoke consumed her. And she vanished with an explosion of fire, making the Pokemon cry out in fear.

"It's alright," Misty called out to them. "She's gone. You can get up now." They obeyed her and got up. The mermaid then waved her hand in front of her face with a disgusted sigh.

"Ugh, the smell of sulfur…" She then turned to Spike and the Ponies sadly. "I'm afraid you've made yourself an enemy through Wuya, little ones, and she'll do everything in her power to get you. The sooner leave Oz and return to your land, the sooner you will rest easy."

"Oh, we'd give anything to return to Ponyville all together," Apple Bloom replied, "but how can we?"

"Apple Bloom's right," Spike stated. "We can't go back the way we came."

"That's true," Misty replied with a nod, "but there is one who's powerful enough to help you: the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz himself." The Pokemon bowed their heads at the mention of his name, agreeing that he's great and powerful indeed.

"Wizard of Oz?" the Ponies replied in awe.

"But…is he good like you," Spike asked Misty, "or wicked like Wuya?"

"How, he's very good," the mermaid answered with a nod, "but very mysterious too. He lives in the Prime Color City." She then turned to Scootaloo. "Can you fly over, Scootaloo?"

"Afraid not," the little Pegasus answered, turning to her small wings. "My wings aren't as strong as Rainbow Dash's yet."

"And I can't teleport like Twilight can," Sweetie Belle added, "so I guess we'll have to walk there."

"Is it far?" asked Apple Bloom.

"It is quite far," Misty answered, "but the quickest way to get there won't take you more than an hour or two on foot. But whatever happens, do not take those Gem-Bands of—not even for a second—or you will be at Wuya's mercy."

"Don't worry," Sweetie Belle replied with a smile. "We won't." Returning her smile, Misty then gave each of the four a kiss on the forehead and told them how to get to the Prime Color City:

"It is always best to start at the beginning, and you start by following the Yellow Brick Road." She then showed them the center of the square where the two different roads start, and the four little ones step onto it. But then a thought came to Spike, and he turned to Misty, who is now floating upon the pond's surface.

"But…but what if we—"

"Don't worry," the mermaid said to them with a kind smile. "While I shall remain here to watch and protect the Pokemon, I'll watch over you until you've reached the Prime Color City. Just follow the Yellow Brick Road." The Pokemon said their goodbyes to Misty as ribbons of water flew up from the pond and circled around her. When they returned to the pond, she was gone.

"Wow," Apple Bloom said in awe, "they sure know how to travel fast here." The Pokemon giggled in agreement as the four youngsters slowly started their journey down their chosen path.

Spike & Sweetie Belle: Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Scootaloo & Apple Bloom: Follow the Yellow Brick Road

The Pokemon helped them, guiding them and filling their hearts with hope.

Elekid: Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Squirtle: Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Marill: Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Psyduck: Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Pokemon: Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Follow, follow, follow, follow

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Follow the Yellow Brick, follow the Yellow Brick

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Filled with renewed courage and confidence, Spike and the CMCs head out of Poke-Town and down the road, the Pokemon seeing them off.

Pokemon: You're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

You'll find that he's a whiz of a Wiz

If ever a Wiz there was

If ever, oh ever, a Wiz there was

The Wizard of Oz is one because

Because, because, because, because

Because of the wonder things he does

You're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Pokemon cheered as Spike and the CMCs waved goodbye to them. Then they set off to get to the Prime Color City and ask the Wizard to help them get home.

Here's the next chapter. Just so you know, I don't own the characters or story or songs. Only the parody and remake of the songs in this chapter.

Ch.7: Pumpkinhead

About half an hour after leaving Poke-Town behind them, Spike, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo reached the point where the Yellow Brick Road split into three routes, boarding a couple of fields of wheat or corn surrounded by fences with a signpost standing in the fork. In one of the fields and a foot from said signpost, a scarecrow stood up with a pole against his back to keep him upright as he pointed to the left path.

He isn't like any scarecrow the group has seen before. For starters, he has a jack-o-lantern for a head, and fresh green leaves for a collar and hands. For clothes he wore brownish-orange shoes, a yellow shirt with matching pants, and a brown vest with black buttons.

But the scarecrow's appearance is the least of their problems. Right now, they're worried about which way to go.

"Misty did say to follow the Yellow Brick Road," Scootaloo said, "but which path do we take now?" Apple Bloom then looked at the signpost.

"It looks like we should take the far left path."

"Yes, this way does seem nice," a voice agreed, startling the girls. They and Spike looked around but saw no one.

"Who said that?" asked Sweetie Belle as Spike looked up at the scarecrow. He then arched a suspicious eyebrow at him.

"Girls," he said, turning to the Ponies, "I think there's something strange about that scarecrow."

"You sure, Spike?" Apple Bloom asked. "I mean, other than the head, he seems normal to me."

"Then again, the far right looks nice, too," the voice said again. They looked around but saw no one. Only the scarecrow pointing to the right…Wait the right?

"Hey," Scootaloo said suspiciously as she turned to her friends. "Wasn't he pointing to the left?"

"Of course," the voice said once more, "people just go both ways." They turned just in time to see the scarecrow move his arms across his chest to point at both directions. He's alive?!

"You did say something, didn't you?" Apple Bloom replied, walking up to the scarecrow. He shook his pumpkin head no before nodding yes with a smile of defeat.

"Are you doing that on purpose," Spike asked with annoyance, "or can't you make up your mind?"

"Well, that's the thing," the scarecrow answered with a shrug. "I can't make up my mind because I don't have a brain. My head's literally hollow." He then knocked on the side of his head to emit a hollow thunk, thunk, thunk.

"But if you don't have a brain," asked Scootaloo who's slightly confused, "how are you able to talk?"

"I don't know," he answered after a bit of thought, "but I guess some without brains can do a lot of talking, don't they?"

"I guess so," Sweetie Belle answered with a smile. "Oh, we haven't been fully introduced yet, have we?"

"Why, no!" he replied with a surprised smile. "My name is Pumpkinhead."

"I'm Spike," the little dragon replied with a smile. "And this is Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle."

"How do you do?" Apple Bloom said, trying to be polite.

"How do you do?" Pumpkinhead greeted them with a nod.

"Alright, thanks," Scootaloo answered.

"Well, I wish I could say the same for myself," their new host replied, rubbing his back with a frown. "But it's hard to be when you're stuck up against a pole day in and day out."

"That doesn't sound comfortable at all," replied the worried Sweetie Belle. "Can't you get down?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"Well, we'll help," Spike replied, going behind the pole along with the girls.

"Oh, that's very kind of you," Pumpkinhead sighed. They then saw a wooden peg at the back of the pole.

"Applejack told me about that," Apple Bloom said. "If we bend it down, he'll fall off." She then helped Spike onto her shoulders and stood up on her hind legs so that he can reach it.

"Ready, Pumpkinhead?"

"Ready." Spike then bent the peg down, and the tall guy fell to the ground with a cry of surprise. The four of them then rushed to his side.

"Whoops," Pumpkinhead laughed, getting up on his knees and looking down at a pile of leaves on the ground. "There goes some of me again."

"Did it hurt?" asked the worried Apple Bloom as he picked them up.

"Oh, not at all," he assured her as he stuffed the leaves under his vest. "See? I just pick it up and stuff it back in again." The little Earth Pony sighed with a smile as eh then stood up on his feet happily. "Ah, it feels so good to be fre—OH!" Sweetie screamed and rushed to Pumpkinhead when he tripped over a loose fence pole and fell onto the road on his face. The others followed her as he got up on his hands quickly and turned to the little Unicorn with worry in his eyes.

"Oh, Sweetie Belle," he said fretfully. "I'm sorry! I didn't scare you, did I?" The others looked at each other with confusion.

"Uh, no," Sweetie Belle then answered him. "I screamed because I thought you've hurt yourself."

"But I didn't scare you?" Pumpkinhead asked, sitting up on his knees.

"No…" Pumpkinhead sighed with relief.

"Thank goodness," he murmured before his tone became sadder. "Didn't think I would anyway…" Spike was about to ask him what he meant by that when a crow landed on the fence beside them.

"Shoo!" Pumpkinhead shouted at it. "Scram! Go away!" But they all watched as the crow simply hopped onto his shoulder, plucked out a stray thread on his vest with its beak, and flew away.

"You see?" he whimpered to them. "I can't even scare a crow! They would just fly by to eat my fields, perch on my head like their own nest…" He sadly placed his head into his hands with a despairing groan. "Oh, I'm a failure without a brain."

"Oh, you poor guy," Scootaloo replied, placing a comforting hoof on his arm.

Spike couldn't help but feel bad as well. Pumpkinhead's talk about brains got him thinking about Twilight, and he's even regretting mentally wishing that she did have a "hollowed out jack-o-lantern" for a head. Their new friend here would be five times more offended than Twilight would be.

"But I bet you'd do more than just scare crows if you do have brains," he then said, hoping to cheer Pumpkinhead up. "Right?" The plant-headed figure looked up at him with a smile.

"You're right," he replied. "I would."

Pumpkinhead: I could wile away the hours

Conferrin' with the flowers

Consultin' with the rain

And my head I'd be scratchin'

While my thoughts were busy hatchin'

If I only had a brain

He then tried to stand up, but he's still a little wobbly on his stick-figure legs. Fortunately, Spike and the girls are there to help him up.

Pumpkinhead: I'd unravel every riddle

For any individual

In trouble or in pain

Apple Bloom: With the thoughts you'll be thinkin'

You could be an honest Lincoln

If you only had a brain

Spike, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo agree with her. With a brain, Pumpkinhead can think up ways to help others in trouble.

Pumpkinhead: Oh, I would tell you why

The ocean's near the shore

I could think of things I never thunk before

And then I'd sit and think some more

He then danced a bit with his wobbly legs. As he did, however, some of his leaves fell out again.

Pumpkinhead: I would not e just a nothin'

Hollow head, leaves for stuffin'

And heart all full of pain

I would dance and be merry

Life would be a ding-a-derry

If I only had a brain

He lost his balance with a cry of surprise and fell to the ground. Quickly, Spike and the girls rushed to his side with his leaves in their grasp.

"Wow," Spike said with a smile. "That was amazing!" Pumpkinhead smiled in reply as they helped him stuff his leaves back into him again.

"I bet if our scarecrow back in Ponyville danced like that," Apple Bloom agreed with a smile, "the crows'll have the feathers scared right off of 'em!"

"They would?" Pumpkinhead asked, turning to her with awe. "Where is Ponyville?"

"That's where we live," Scootaloo answered. "And we wanna get back, so we're going to Prime Color City to ask the Wizard to help us." That got their new friend's attention.

"You're going to see a Wizard?" They nodded again, and he sat up on his knees with a bit of hope in his eyes. "Well, if I went with you, do you think he'd give me some brains?"

"I can't say for sure," Apple Bloom replied with a bit of thought. "But even if he doesn't, you'd be no worse than you are now."

"That's for sure," he replied with a sad nod.

"Are you sure you want to come with us?" asked the concerned Sweetie Belle. "It's just that we have a Wicked Witch mad at us, and we don't want you to get into trouble."

"A witch?" he replied before acting brave. "Oh, I'm not scared of any witch. I'm not scared of anything." He suddenly became nervous before whispering to them. "Except of fire." He then pointed at his leaf-stuffed abdomen to point out his reason.

"Yeah," Spike replied, "I don't blame ya."

"But I'd face a whole forest fire to get some brains," he vowed bravely before his tone became softer. "Look, I wont' give you any trouble because I don't need to sustain myself. And I won't be able to manage things since I can't think. So…can I come with you?" The four of them smiled in reply.

"Of course, you can come along," Apple Bloom answered.

"Hooray!" he cheered, jumping up to his feet with delight. "We're off to see the Wizard!"

"Whoa!" Spike chuckled, quickly catching him when he started to topple again despite his size. "I guess you need to work on getting your legs working right, huh?"

"I'll try," he assured him with renowned confidence. "To Oz?"

"To Oz!" they cheered, and the five of them head down the far left path to the Prime Color City together.

Group: We're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

We hear that he's a whiz of a Wiz

If ever a Wiz there was

If ever, oh ever, a Wiz there was

The Wizard of Oz is one because

Because, because, because, because, because

Because of the wonderful things he does

We're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Here's the next chapter. Just so you know, I only own the rewritten version of the song Chopper sings. Enjoy.

Ch.8: Chopper

About an hour later, the group had reached an orchard of apple trees just at the entrance of a forest of tall trees and with a log cabin close by.

"Oh, look at all those apples!" Sweetie Belle said, looking up at the Red Delicious ones.

"Wait there, Sweetie," Spike said to her before rushing up to a tall rock by a tree and climbing it. Once on top, he reached up and plucked an apple from a low-enough branch. When he did, however, another branch reached out suddenly and snatched the fruit out of his claws before a third one slapped them.

"Ow! Hey!" Spike snapped, turning to the tree with agitation.

"What do you think you're doing?" the tree snapped back gruffly with annoyance in its sap yellow eyes.

"Geez, sorry," Spike replied, rubbing his hurting claws. "We've been traveling for a while, and I thought Sweetie Belle was hungry, so—" He stopped and turned to the tree sharply. "Did you just talked?!"

"He thought she was hungry," the tree said to another one.

"He thought she was hungry," it mocked, making the others jump with surprise.

"Well, you wouldn't like it if someone comes along and picks something off of you, now would you?" the tree then said to Spike.

"Uh, sorry," Spike replied before turning to Pumpkinhead and the girls. "I keep forgetting that we're not in Ponyville anymore." Pumpkinhead simply glared up at the tree.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Spike," he said to the little dragon. "You wouldn't want any of those apples anyway."

"What are you implying?" the tree snapped.

"Oh, nothing," he answered. "He just doesn't like rotten apples with little green worms." That got the tree fuming.

"Why, you—" Spike quickly slid off the rock as the tree lunged out, and he and the others rushed away from them.

"I think I know how to get you some apples," Pumpkinhead whispered to Spike once out of the trees' reach. He then turned to the trees and made a face at them with a raspberry. Angered, the trees started the pluck the apples off their branches and throwing them at him. Fortunately, the tall scarecrow was able to dodge them.

"Well, that worked," he chuckled to his smaller friends. "Help yourselves." They then began to gather the apples.

Sweetie Belle spotted a couple by a fern and went over to gather them. But when she got there, she saw something behind the plant…a wheel. She then looked up and saw that it belongs to a green motorcycle. And he has a yellow-green helmet with a spike for a head and a pair of black goggles with red lens for eyes.

"Guys, over here!" she called. "It's a motorcycle!" They rushed over to her to see him and help get the fauna off him. Suddenly, they heard groaning…coming from the motorcycle?

"Did you say something?" asked the surprised Scootaloo. The motorcycle groaned again. He's alive!

"We gotta help him!" Apple Bloom said.

"But how?" asked Pumpkinhead. "He's rusted solid." Spike then spotted an oilcan on a nearby stump and grabbed it.

"Maybe this'll help," he answered, hopping onto the motorcycle's "back". He then oiled below the front of the helmet where the "mouth" should be. The motorcycle then moved his "lower jaw" around before opening and closing his mouth…and finally talking.

"Ohh…whoo…ah, thanks, little dude. I can talk again. Uh, can you also oil my handlebars while you're up there?"

"No prob…uh…"

"Chopper. Name's Chopper."

"Cool name," the little dragon replied with a smile before oiling his handlebars. "I'm Spike, and the tall one here is Pumpkinhead."

"And I'm Sweetie Belle," the little Unicorn added, pushing down on one of the handlebars. "And the other two are Apple Bloom and Scootaloo." The handlebar came down sharply with a loud, squeaky creak. "Oh, I'm sorry! Did it hurt?"

"Nah, I need that," he sighed with a sigh of relief. "I was holding it up like that for who knows how long."

"How did you get like this anyway?" asked Pumpkinhead as he brushed the leaves off Chopper.

"Well, some time ago, I was driving by and minding my own business when it started to rain. I tried to get under some shade, but by the time I found some, I rusted solid and stood that way until you came along."

"Well, you're alright now," Sweetie Belle said as Spike oiled Chopper's "neck". But Chopper only frowned in reply.

"I wish," he stated. "Bang on my engine, and you'll know what I mean."

"You sure?" asked Spike, hopping off of him.

"Yeah, go ahead." Spike then knocked on the engine below his head, and it only gave out a rumbling echo from inside.

""Oh, that's a beautiful echo," Pumpkinhead replied, thinking it's a nice compliment that would cheer Chopper up. But the motorcycle only shook his head sadly.

"That's the prob," he explained. "It's empty. My mechanic, he…*sigh* he forgot to give me a heart." The others couldn't' believe what they had heard.

"No heart?"

"No heart," Chopper answered sadly. "I'm more hollow than my tank on empty."

Chopper: When I'm empty as a kettle

I should be on my mettle

But instead, I'm torn apart

Just cuz I'm presumin'

That I could be kinda human

If I only had a heart

Chopper then tried to move onto the road, but his wheels are good and rusted tight. Spike and Pumpkinhead quickly oiled them, and he's able to move again.

Chopper: I would be tender and gentle

Chivalrous, sentimental

One for love and for art

I'd be buds with the sparrows

And that kid who shoots arrows

If I only had a heart

Once on the road, Chopper started to dance a bit, and Sweetie Belle joined him. As they danced, Spike and Pumpkinhead whispered to each other, possibly about asking Chopper to come with them.

Chopper: Picture me a balcony

Above a voice sings low

Sweetie Belle: Wherefore art thou, Romeo (thump, thump)

Chopper: I hear a beat (thump, thump)

Yeah, that's sweet

Chopper then stood up on his back tire but started to lean to the side. The others rushed over to his side to catch him only for him to lean to the other side. They kept this up a couple more times before Chopper was standing up straight on his back tire.

Chopper: Just to feel every emotion

Jealousy, devotion

Plus, to feel the part

I would feel new and chipper

And I'd lock it with a zipper

If I only had a heart

Suddenly, he started to roll backwards on his back tire. The others then chased after him until a stump stopped him.

"Oh, are you okay, Chopper?" Scootaloo asked.

"Yeah, I'm cool," he grunted as he stood up on all his tires, "but I think I'm still a little rusty." Spike then oiled his joints a little.

"Wow," Sweetie Belle said to the motorcycle, "I think you were wonderful." Despite lacking a heart, Chopper could help but smile with a blush.

"Hey, Chopper," Spike then said to him. "Pumpkinhead and I were wonder if you'd like to come with us. We're going to the Prime Color City to ask the Wizard to give him a brain and get us home to Ponyville."

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle replied with a smile. "If he can help us, he can help you too and give you a heart." Chopper's eyes lit up with a smile of hope.

"Really?" he asked before he frowned with concern. "But…what if he can't?"

"But he has to," Apple Bloom answered. "We came such a long way already." They jumped when there was a vicious cackle and turned sharply to the nearby log cabin. The girls hugged each other when they saw Wuya on the roof of the cabin.

"You call that long?" she asked with an evil grin. "Why, you've only just begun." She then turned her attention to Chopper and Pumpkinhead. "Helping the little ones along like good citizens, gentlemen? Well, stay away from them…" She then pointed a threatening finger at Pumpkinhead. "Or I'll stuff a mulch bucket with you."

"Yeesh…" Chopper replied, turning to the shivering Pumpkinhead with concern.

"And you," she added threatening to Chopper. "I'll use you for a trashcan." The offended motorcycle only glared at her as she turned her attention back to Pumpkinhead. "Care to play ball, Pumpkinhead?" She then held out her hand and a fireball appeared in the palm of it before she threw it at Pumpkinhead's feet.

"Fire!" he cried, jumping back with fear as Wuya cackled evilly. "Help! It's going to burn me!" The girls cried out with fear as Spike tries to help him.

"I'll get it!" Chopper cried, turning his back to the flame. He then revved up his engines to make his back tire spin fast, kicking up a huge wave of dirt to put out the fire…and get all over Wuya.

"Augh! You wretched bike! You've ruined my dress!" Chopper only smirked at her mischievously.

"Oh, you want more, ugly? Well, here ya go!" He then kicked up another wave of dirt at her. With a scream, Wuya put her mask on and vanished in another cloud of red-violet smoke.

"Yeah, that's right, Grandma," Chopper jeered. "You better run!" He then calmly turned and helped the girls help Pumpkinhead. "You okay there, dude?"

"I'll be alright," he answered before glaring up at where Wuya once stood. "I may not like fire, but I won't let her stop me." He then turned to Spike and the girls with renewed confidence. "Even if I don't get a brain, I'll see that you get to the Wizard." He then glared up at the cabin's roof. "'Stuff a mulch bucket with me.' PF-HA!" He then stuck his tongue out at the rooftop.

"I'll see to that, too," Chopper said to them with a smile, "whether or not I get a heart." He then glared up at the rooftop as well. "'Trashcan'? HYMPH! Let her try to make a trashcan outta me!" He then revved his engines, sounding like an angry jaguar. Spike and the girls smiled in reply at their new friends' courage.

"You two are the best," Spike said as the girls hugged them. They only smiled in reply.

"To Oz?" Chopper asked.

"To Oz," Pumpkinhead answered. And the six of them headed down the Yellow Brick Road and into the dense forest.

Group: We're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

We hear that he's a whiz of a Wiz

If ever a Wiz there was

If ever, oh ever, a Wiz there was

The Wizard of Oz is one because

Because, because, because, because, because

Because of the wonderful things he does

We're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Ch.9: Gryphon

A while later, the group was so deep in the forest that it became darker and scarier. Worried for their new friends, Pumpkinhead lets Spike ride on his shoulder while Chopper lets the girls ride on his back.

"You girls okay up there?" he then asked them.

"Yeah," answered the scared Scootaloo. "I just don't like this place." She whimpered when an owl hooted in a tree nearby.

"Me, neither," Apple Bloom whimpered. "It's darker and creepier than the Everfree Forest back home."

"Yeah," Spike agreed, "but if we don't hurry out of here, it'll get darker before it gets lighter."

"Do you think we'll see any wild animals, Chopper?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Maybe," he answered, "but hopefully not." Pumpkinhead turned to him with a gulp.

"Animals that…eat pumpkin?" he whimpered.

"If they do, they'll probably prefer pumpkins that don't walk," the motorcycle assured him. "But what I'm really worried about are lions, tigers, and bears." Spike and the girls turned to him with shock as did Pumpkinhead.

"Lions?" asked the girls.

"Tigers?" asked Spike and Pumpkinhead.

"And bears," Chopper answered with a nod. Now they re really scared.

"Lions," Spike gulped.

"Tigers," Apple Bloom fretted.

"And bears," Scootaloo finished fretfully.

"Oh, my," Sweetie Belle whimpered, clutching to Chopper for protection. The group then continued down the road, hoping to get out of the forest fast.

Group: Lions, tigers, and bears

Apple Bloom: Oh, my

Group: Lions, tigers, and bears

Spike: Oh, man

Group: Lions, tigers, and bears

Scootaloo: Oh, my

Group: Lions, tigers, and bears

Sweetie Belle: Oh, my

Suddenly, there was aloud noise that made them stop with shock. It sounded like a cross between a lion roar and an eagle screech.

"Look out!" Chopper cried, pointing up ahead of them. They then saw that it's a large Gryphon on a high rock before them. His lion body is brownish-gold, and his eagle head, front legs, and wings have black feathers, piercing yellow-green eyes, orange beak and talons with sharp claws, and a ten-foot wingspan.

"Kids, run!" Pumpkinhead cried. Spike and the girls ran and hid behind a tree with large ferns as the Gryphon leapt down from his rocks and onto the road. Pumpkinhead and Chopper fell back and shuddered as the large beast snarled at them, their small friends watching from behind the tree and ferns.

"Put 'em up. Put 'em up!" he growled to the scarecrow and motorcycle. "Which one of you first? I'll take on both of you at once if you want." He then folded his wings onto his back. "I'll fight you with both wings tied behind my back." He then stood on his left talon and right paw. "I'll fight you standing on two feet." He then closed his eyes. "I'll fight you with my eyes closed." He opened his eyes again to glare down at the shivering duo. "Oh, tryin' to run me over, huh? Pullin' a fast one on me, eh?" Chopper then tried to be brave.

"H-Hey, go away! L-Leave us alone." The Gryphon smirked at him.

"Oh, scared, huh? Afraid, huh? How fresh can ya stay in that can?" He laughed at his joke before becoming serious. "C'mon, ya shiverin' junkyard!" He then turned to the scared Pumpkinhead. "Put 'em up, ya overgrown squash-head!"

"N-Now that's getting personal, Gryphon," he replied nervously.

"Y-Yeah, Pumpkinhead," Chopper said, turning to him. "Get up and teach him a lesson."

"What's wrong with you teaching him?!" the scarecrow asked, turning to him with annoyance.

"Well, I-I hardly know this guy." Worried for his friends, Spike jumped out before the girls could stop him.

"Back off, ya overgrown feather duster!" he yelled, putting his fists up bravely. But his courage immediately left him when Gryphon turned to him angrily.

"I'll get you anyway, peewee." Spike immediately ran for it with a yell as Gryphon gave chase.

"Guys, help!" Pumpkinhead and Chopper got up quickly to save Spike. But suddenly Scootaloo jumped in between Spike and Gryphon and—

BAM!

"OW!" Gryphon staggered back and held his beak when she kicked it hard.

"Leave him alone, you big bully!" she yelled. But she became surprised when she saw that he's…crying?

"I'm a bully?" he whimpered in between sobs. "You kicked me! I didn't even hurt him!"

"Well, no, but you tried to," Scootaloo said to him firmly despite her confusion. "It's bad enough picking on a scarecrow and a motorcycle, but when you go around baby dragons!"

"Well, you didn't have to go and kick me that hard," he whimpered as he gently tapped his still sore beak. "Is my beak bleeding?" Sweetie Belle then looked at his talon when he showed it to them.

"Well, of course not," she answered him kindly. They all became surprised as the large beast continued crying like a baby.

"You sure are making a big fuss about it, aren't ya?" asked Apple Bloom.

"Yeah, well, naturally when you go around bullying others weaker than you," Spike stated with a scolding glare at Gryphon. "You're nothing but a big coward."

"Spike!" the others hissed at him.

"No, he's right," Gryphon whimpered, taking his tail and drying his tears with its black furry tip. "I am a coward. I'm supposed to be a great ruler around here since I'm part lion (king of beasts) and part eagle (king of birds), but I don't have any courage at all. I'm even scared of flying. You can even see the circles under my eyes through my black feathers; I haven't slept in days."

"Well, have you tried counting sheep?" Chopper asked, trying to help him out.

"I did," Gryphon answered with a sniff, "but I'm too scared of them."

"Gosh, that's too bad," Pumpkinhead replied, surprised as much as Chopper is that he's scared of something cute and gentle. He then looked down at Spike and the girls. "Do you think the Wizard can help him too?"

"I don't see why not," Scootaloo answered before turning to Gryphon. "Why don't you come with us? We're going to see the Wizard in the Prime Color City to get Pumpkinhead a brain and Chopper a heart."

"And get these little ones back home," Chopper added.

"Yeah," Spike finished. "I'm sure he'll give you some courage if you come along." Gryphon then looked up at them with teary eyes.

"Won't you feel embarrassed being in the company of a scaredy gryphon?" he asked. "I would."

"Oh, of course not," Apple Bloom answered as she and the others shook their heads assuringly. Gryphon then gave them a comforting smile.

"It's…It's awfully kind of you," he sniffled, plucking a nearby leaf and drying his eyes with it like a tissue. "My life has been so unbearable; I was too scared to show my face around anyone anymore."

"Well, it's alright now," Sweetie Belle replied, patting his eagle leg in comfort. "The Wizard will make it all better."

"I guess it would be nice to let others know how I feel," Gryphon replied, a little more confident with himself. "I've kept it inside of me for so long."

"Well, c'mon," Scootaloo replied, boosting up his confidence more.

Gryphon: Yeah, it's sad, believe me, Missy

When you're born to be a sissy

Without the vive and verve

But then, I'd change my prowess

Be a lion, not a mo-use

If I only have the nerve

Chopper and Gryphon then let Spike and the girls ride on their backs. Spike and Sweetie Belle rode on Chopper, and Scootaloo and Apple Bloom rode on Gryphon.

Gryphon: I'm afraid there's no denyin'

I'm just a dandelion

A fate I don't deserve

I'd be brave as a blizzard

Chopper: I'd be sweet as a lizard

Pumpkinhead: I'd be witty as a gizzard

Scootaloo: If the Wizard is a wizard

Who will serve

Pumpkinhead: Then I'm sure to get a brain

Chopper: A heart

Spike: A home

Gryphon: The nerve

Then the seven of them headed down the road together with faith in themselves. And their faith grew when Gryphon told them that they'll be out of the woods soon.

Group: We're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

We hear that he's a whiz of a Wiz

If ever a Wiz there was

If ever, oh ever, a Wiz there was

The Wizard of Oz is one because

Because, because, because, because, because

Because of the wonderful things he does

We're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

What they don't know is that they're being watched…

Here's the next chapter. Once again, I don't own anything; just the parody itself.

Ch.10: Spring Trap, Winter Rescue

Within her Crystal Ball Room of her castle, Wuya watched the seven friends make their way through the woods via large, black crystal ball. Also watching it with her is Niddler, a red monkey-bird with blue eyes, blue-and-yellow wing tips, and a white neck/front and stomach. The scarlet macaw-like creature then turned to his master fearfully as she scowled at her crystal ball.

"So they won't heed my warning, will they?" she said to herself. "Well, all the worse for them." She then went over to her potion table where her instruments are. Niddler watched as she took a scoop of yellow powder from a bowl and poured it into a mortar.

"Once those Gem-Bands are in my grasp," she said as she ground the powder with her pestle, "my power will be the greatest in all of Oz!"

"Wh-What are you going to do, Mistress Wuya?" Niddler asked as the crystal ball glowed red.

"You'll see," she answered with a cold chuckle, approaching the ball with the mortar. She then looked down at the ball as fuchsia smoke seeped out of the stone bowl.

"And now my little fillies," she purred to herself as she swirled the fuchsia-colored mortar against the side of the ball. "Something with poison in it, and yet attracting to the eye and soothing to the smell…" She and Niddler then watches as the ball then began to show them a field of tickled pink poppies.

"Yes…poppies," Wuya hissed to Niddler with a grin. "Poppies…Poppies will put them to sleep…Sleep…Now they'll sleep…"

The group stepped out of the dark forest to find themselves just at the edge of a field of tickled pink poppies that even grew over the Yellow Brick Road. The girls then looked beyond the field until they found the road at the other side. And a mile or two down the road, they can see the Prime Color City, a city surrounded by a platinum white wall and depicted by threw tall buildings standing high above all the rest. The shortest one stood in the center and is ruby red. The middle-sized one is topaz yellow and stood at the red one's left. And the largest one at the red one's right is sapphire blue. Together, they make up the large castle in the city.

"There it is!" Scootaloo cried with delight. "The Prime Color City! We've made it at last!"

"Oh, it's more beautiful than I thought it would be!" Sweetie Belle said in awe.

"He must be a really powerful wizard to live in a place like that," Apple Bloom stated with delight.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Gryphon chuckled.

"Nothing," Pumpkinhead answered with a smile. "Let's go!" Chopper then turned to Spike and Sweetie Belle on his back.

"Hang on tight, kids," he said to them with a smirk. "I'm gonna be speedin' up!" They all rushed forward wit Spike and the girls still riding on Chopper and Gryphon's backs.

That's when Wuya's spell started to affect them. Despite his strong legs, Gryphon started to feel woozy and to slow down little by little, letting Chopper and Pumpkinhead get ahead of him. Spike and the girls held onto their friends as much as they could, but the were growing tired and weak themselves. But Chopper and Pumpkinhead are unaffected by the poppies; they don't have organic lungs to breathe in the aroma.

"C'mon! C'mon!"

"Hurry!" Gryphon ran as fast as he could go, but the more he breathed in the flowers, the more he grew tired. Same with the little ones.

Soon, Pumpkinhead and Chopper (with Spike and Sweetie Belle still holding on weakly to his back) had reached a tiny hill that takes them right down to the Yellow Brick Road when going down that hill. And up ahead is the Prime Color City.

"There it is!" Pumpkinhead said as Gryphon, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom finally caught up with them. "It's just up ahead!"

"Isn't it awesome, guys?" Chopper asked, turning to Spike and Sweetie Belle with a huge smile. But his smile soon became a frown of concern when he saw how sleepy they look. "Are you feeling okay? Ya look…tired." He then turned to Gryphon as he let out a huge yawn.

"S-Sorry," he mumbled "I don't know what's wrong with me. I just…I just can't run anymore. I'm so sleepy."

"Me, too," Scootaloo yawned along with Apple Bloom.

"Me, three," Spike added with droopy eyes.

"Well, don't worry," Pumpkinhead said, going up to Gryphon's side. "Chopper and I will help pull and carry you along."

"Oh, no," the weary Apple Bloom begged before the scarecrow could take her and Scootaloo. "Please let us rest…for a few minutes." Things started to get worse when Spike slipped off of Chopper's back and fell asleep on the flowers.

"Spike," Sweetie Belle said, jumping off of Chopper's back. "Spike, are you okay?" But then she became woozy from the flowers' aroma and fell asleep next to the little dragon.

"But we're almost there!" Chopper protested before trying to rouse them. But the two of them wouldn't wake up, and he started to whimper with worry. Since they first met, the motorcycle has become so fond of the little ones, especially Sweetie Belle. So despite his lacking a heart, he just couldn't help but worry about his new friends.

"Chopper, don't cry!" Pumpkinhead warned quickly. "You'll rust yourself again!" chopper quickly pulled himself together.

"Who's crying?" he snapped.

"Come to think of it," Apple Bloom yawned as she and Scootaloo slipped off Gryphon's back sleepily, "a nap…wouldn't be a…bad idea."

"Oh, don't you start too," Pumpkinhead begged, catching Gryphon as chopper caught the fillies before they can fall over.

"C'mon!" Chopper said quickly. "We gotta help Spike and Sweetie."

"I'm not sure how," Pumpkinhead replied, "but we can try." The two of them then let go of Gryphon, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo to help Spike and Sweetie Belle…only for the three to fall over and fall asleep on the poppies, Gryphon with a loud BOOM!

"Oh, no!" Chopper groaned. "Look at them! This is not good, dude!"

"Hurry, Chopper!" Pumpkinhead cried. "Help me!" they then turned to see the flowers magically weaving together and covering Spike and Sweetie Belle in a blanket. "Oh, no!" They rushed forward to get the flowers off their friends, but the blanket held on tightly to them. Not tight enough to suffocate them, but tight enough to insure they don't escape.

"It's no good," Pumpkinhead grunted as he finally let go. "We can't budge them an inch with those flowers holding them. This is an awful spell." Chopper's eyes went wide with fearful realization.

"It's Wuya!" he cried. "What do we do?! HELP! SOMEONE, HELP!"

"It won't help to yell," the scarecrow said to him. "There's no one around to hear you. HELP! HELP!" As Pumpkinhead called out for help, chopper finally lost it and started crying out of regret that he can do nothing for Sweetie Belle or the others.

Seeing via large pearl that they're in trouble, Misty held a white-glowing hand over said pearl. She smiled with relief when she saw that it's starting to snow in the image.

Suddenly, some snowflakes started to fall onto the poppy field. As more started to follow, Pumpkinhead's screams started to quiet down with surprise.

"It's…snowing? It can't be…" He took a closer look as more snow started to fall, and his eyes went wide happily with realization. "It is! It is snowing!" He then turned to Chopper who's rusted solid from crying as the poppy blanket removed itself from Spike and Sweetie Belle. "Maybe it will help." But then he frowned with doubt. "Oh, but it can't help…" He turned to see Spike and Sweetie Belle waking up. "It does help!" He then knelt down and helped the two up. "Spike? Sweetie Belle? Are you alright?"

"I…I think so," Spike yawned as Gryphon, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom started to wake up as well. "What happened?" Gryphon yawned as he looked around.

"Did I miss the migration again?" he asked, pointing out the snowflakes. The others only laughed in reply before Sweetie Belle noticed the petrified Chopper.

"Oh, no!" she cried, pointing him out to the others. "Chopper's rusted again!" Spike quickly got out the oilcan and started to oil the motorcycle's joints.

"Wow," Gryphon said ahs he helps out. "He really is rusted solid." The others then helped out as well.

"Curses!" Wuya yelled angrily when she saw what happened via crystal ball. "Someone's always ruining my plans to help those brats out!"

"Uh, you mean Misty…right?" Niddler asked with a gulp. "I mean, this looks like her work, and…you did say she'll be keeping you from getting those Gem-Bands…"

"Gem-Bands or no Gem-Bands, Niddler," she answered, "I'm still powerful enough to conquer them…and anyone would dare try to stop me!" In her anger, she shot her arm to the side and shot a blast of green energy at a black Ming vase, smashing it to bits and forcing Niddler to hide under the armchair with a monkey screech. "Oh, great! I just had to go and smash it!"

"Are you okay now, Chopper?" Sweetie Belle asked him. He only turned to her with a smile.

"Seeing that you're okay makes me a whole lot better," he answered, helping her and Spike onto his back.

"Then let's get out of here," Apple Bloom said as she and Scootaloo climbed onto Gryphon's back. "The Prime Color City is just up ahead!"

"Yeah," Scootaloo said with a smile, "and it's looking cooler and more beautiful than before." The group then head down the Yellow Brick Road once more, birds singing their congrats to them from above.

Birds: You're out of the woods

You're out of the dark

You're out of the night

Step into the sun

Step into the light

Keep straight ahead for the most glorious place

On the face of the earth or the sky

With renewed optimism in themselves, the group knew for certain that their dreams would come true. Pumpkinhead will become smart with his brand new brain. Chopper will feel love and give love with his brand new heart. Gryphon will take on a whole army or stampede with his band new courage. And Spike, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo will return to their friends and families in Ponyville.

Birds: Hold onto your breath

Hold onto your heart

Hold onto your hope

March up to the gate

And bid it open

What the group doesn't know is that its adventure is far from over.

"Mistress Wuya, were are you going?" Niddler asked as the witch grabbed her mask and went up to the large open window.

"To the Prime Color City," she answered him as she puts on her mask, "as fast as lightning!" She then flew out the window as if on invisible wings with an evil cackle, violet smoke flying out from under her skirt. The red monkey-bird could only watch as his master flew around the tower before flying out into the horizon.

Posted this just in time before leaving for vacation. Won't be back until next week, so enjoy it the best you could. Remember, I only own the parody.

Ch.11: The Prime Color City

Birds: You're out of the woods

You're out of the dark

You're out of the night

Step into the sun

Step into the light

March up to the gate

And bid it open

Open

It wasn't long before the seven friends reached the front gate to the Prime Color City. It is a large door within the ten-foot, platinum-white wall, and it is decked out with rubies, topazes, and sapphires. They then found a silver rope and pulled it to ring a bell. At the bong-bong-bong, a porthole in the door opened, and out stuck a man's head. He has grayish-black hair going down to his shoulders, a matching mustache, and gray eyes. And he has on a yellow jacket.

"Who rang that bell?" he asked with annoyance.

"We did," answered Apple Bloom.

"Didn't you read it?" he asked, looking down at them.

"Read what?" asked Scootaloo with a shrug.

"The notice on the door."

"I don't see any notice," Sweetie Belle stated. Confused, the man turned to the side and saw his mistake.

"Oops…I knew I forgot something. Just a minute." He went back into the hole to bring out a sign and hang it on a nail next to it. He then closed the hole as Spike read the sign out lout for his friends:

"Bell out of order; please knock." Pumpkinhead then knocked with the onyx black knocker, and the man stuck his head out the porthole again with a smile on his face.

"Ah, that's better. I apologize for the mishap. Anyway, I am Sartyr the Gatekeeper. What brings you to the Prime Color City?"

"We want to see the Wizard," Chopper answered. Sartyr's eyes went wide with surprise.

"The Wizard? Why, no one has seen the Great Oz, not even me."

"Then who do you know he's for real?" asked Gryphon suspiciously.

"Because…uh…Oh, never mind that! For what reason do you want to see him?"

"We really need his help," Sweetie Belle explained. "The Mermaid of the North Misty said he could."

"Misty of the North, you say?" he asked with interest.

"That's right," Pumpkinhead replied. "The girls are even wearing the Gem-Bands she gave them." The little Ponies then showed them to him, and Sartyr smiled with fascination when he saw them.

"Ah, so they are. Well, spice up my curry. Why didn't you say so in the first place? That's a snake of a different feather. Come on in." He then went back into the porthole, and the doors opened to let the group enter.

The city before them is a wonder to behold. Everywhere you'd look, there would be houses, shops, and stands colored red, yellow, or blue. Some are even two of the three colors or all three. But the buildings aren't made of bricks or wood or steel as you might think. They are made of marble or gems, possibly even both. And the residents of the city have on red, blue or yellow outfits.

A man then approached the group. He has long black hair and glasses, wears a white shirt, tan pants, and brown shoes, and holds a fat, tan cat with brown stripes.

"Welcome to the Prime Color City," he said to them with a cheerful smile. "I am Lyman Banner, and this is my cat Pharaoh. Sartyr told me that Misty of the North sent you here to see the Wizard?"

"That's right," Spike answered.

"Well, do not worry. My friend and I will take you to him. But first, we should take you someplace where you can freshen up."

"Oh, we'd love that," Sweetie Belle replied. "We've been traveling for so long that we feel so mes—" She stopped with surprise when she saw a large violet snake slither up to them. He has long jet-black hair and large black-feathered wings. He also has a tuff of black fur on the tip of his tail, and his eyes are a handsome yellow-green.

"Wow," Spike said in awe. "I've never seen a dragon like you before."

"Actually," Banner said as he and the snake helped them onto the said snake's back, "Malcho is a snake."

"But I know you'll never see another snake like me, amigo," the snake chuckled. "There is one of my kind around these parts, and I am he. I am Malcho, the Snake of a Different Feather you've heard about." He then slithered down the street where the Prime Color City residents greet their new guests riding on his back.

Banner: Ha-ha-ha, ho-ho-ho

And a couple of tra-la-las

That's how we laugh the day away

In the Merry Old Land of Oz

Malcho: Buzz-buzz-buzz, chirp-chirp-chirp

And a couple of la-di-das

That's how the crickets crick all day

In the Merry Old Land of Oz

The group can see that the inside of the city is more beautiful than outside. It's like everything and everyone is made of a royal treasure. They can see why some believe it to be the Capitol of Oz.

Malcho: We get up at twelve

And start to work at one

Banner: Take an hour for lunch

And then at two we're done

Both: Jolly good fun!

Soon Malcho stopped before what looks like a beauty salon made of white and blue marble. And the sign over the doorway has sapphire letters reading Brush Up & Wash Up Beauty Salon. A few girls from the salon and dressed in satin blue-and-white dresses helped their new guests off of Malcho's back and escorted them into the salon.

Citizens: Ha-ha-ha, ho-ho-ho

And a couple of tra-la-las

That's how we laugh the day away

In the Merry Old Land of Oz

The workers of the salon then set to work on making their guests look and feel good as new.

Citizens: Ha-ha-ha, ho-ho-ho

Ha-ha-ha, ho-ho-ho

That's how we laugh the day away

With a ha-ha-ha, ho-ho-ho

In the Merry Old Land of Oz

Three men in red re-stuff Pumpkinhead with fresher leaves and clean straw, and two men in yellow polished up Chopper.

Red: Pat-pat here, pat-pat there

Add new leaves and fresh straws

That's how we keep you new and fair

In the Merry Old Land of Oz

Yellow: Rub-rub here, rub-rub there

Whether you're steel or bronze

That's how we keep you in repair

In the Merry Old Land of Oz

The ladies in blue gave the girls a makeover. They curled up Apple Bloom's mane, brushed up Scootaloo's wings, and polished up Sweetie Belle's front hooves. They also gave each of them a new gown: a red one for Apple Bloom; a yellow one for Scootaloo; and a blue one for Sweetie Belle; each complete with her own hair ribbon.

Blue Girl: We can make a dimple smile

Out of a frown

Sweetie Belle: Can you even dye my eyes

To match my gown?

Both: Uh-huh, jolly old town

More ladies in blue accompanied by some men in blue worked on Spike and Gryphon. They washed and brushed them up and trimmed their claws. Now Spike's scales sparkle like lavender amethysts, and Gryphon's fur and feathers are soft and shiny like gold and black silk.

Blue Girls: Clip-clip here, clip-clip there

We give the roughest claws

Blue Men: That certain air of savoir-faire

In the Merry Old Land of Oz

The seven friends later emerged out of the salon, looking glamorous and feeling refreshed.

Citizens: Ha-ha-ha, ho-ho-ho

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha

That's how we laugh the day away

In the Merry Old Land of Oz

That's how we laugh the day away

In the Merry Old Land of Oz

Ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha

Ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha

Ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha

In the Merry Old Land of Oz

The group feels like joining in the merriment. Now that they've reached the city, the seven of them feel as though their troubles were over. But once they looked up at the sky at the sudden whooshing sound, they saw that their troubles aren't over yet at all.

Ch.12: Seeing the Wizard

Flying through the sky is Wuya, using the red-violet smoke emitting from her dress to write in the sky.

"Who-Who's that?!" whimpered Gryphon, shuddering as Spike and the girls hid under him.

"It's Wuya!" Apple Bloom answered fearfully.

"She's followed us here?" Scootaloo gulped. "Oh, and I thought we were safe."

"I think it's about to get worse," Pumpkinhead stated, pointing up at the sky with a shaky hand. "Look." They immediately saw what the Witch wrote in the sky:

"SURRENDER PONIES." Sweetie Belle clutched to Chopper with a whimper at those words. Around them, the citizens frightened by the aerial commotion were talking at once.

"Ponies? What Ponies?"

"The Wizard might know!"

"We have to tell Captain Crowler! He'll let us to him!" They quickly rushed down the street to inform the Wizard of the situation.

"What are we gonna do?" Spike asked.

"I think we better hurry if we're going to see the Wizard," Chopper answered, helping him and Sweetie Belle onto his back. "C'mon!" Pumpkinhead helped Apple Bloom and Scootaloo onto Gryphon's back before the group quickly followed the citizens to the Wizard's castle.

Believe it or not, the castle happens to be the three towers they saw earlier. They are joined together to make one tall palace. At the front entrance (the red tower), Captain Crowler stood on the black marble steps in front of the white marble door adorned with rubies, topazes, and sapphires. He is a tall, thin man in a blue trenchcoat with grey eyes and short, blond hair with a long, thin ponytail at the back. And in his hand, he held a sapphire spear.

"Now, now," he cried out to the citizens. "Calm down, everyone. There is no need to panic. The Wizard is fully aware of the situation, and he is taking care of it as we speak. So you may all go home now. Go about your business; there's nothing to see here." Uncertain, the citizens reluctantly left the entrance until only our seven heroes are left.

"If you please, sir," Apple Bloom said to the guard, "we want to see the Wizard right away, all seven of us."

"I'm sorry, little one," he replied with a shake of his head, "but I have my orders that no one can see him."

"But we have to see him!" Scootaloo protested. "It's really important."

"And I just got a manicure for the occasion, too," Gryphon added, holding up his eagle claw to show off his shiny talons.

"I have my orders," Crowler stated firmly.

"But they're the Ponies!" Pumpkinhead protested, pointing at Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo. The guard blinked and turned to the little ones.

"Wuya's Ponies?" he asked. They nodded in answer, hoping it got his attention. "Well, that changes everything, doesn't it? Alright, I'll announce you at once." He then went into the palace to inform the Wizard.

"Did you hear that?" Spike said to the others with delight. "He'll announce us at once!"

"I'm as good as got my brain," Pumpkinhead stated with a smile.

"I'm already feeling my heart beating," Chopper concurred joyfully.

"We'll be home in time for dinner," Sweetie Belle added hopefully.

"And in a few moments," Gryphon finished proudly, "I'll be King of the Beasts and Birds in the entire forest. Long live the King!"

Gryphon: If I were King of the Forest

Not queen, not duke, not prince

My regal robes of the forest

Would be satin, not cotton, not chintz

The others agree with Gryphon. Since he's part lion, part eagle, he is the ruler of both races of creatures in the forest. And he will be a courageous King of Beasts and Birds indeed.

Gryphon: I'd command each thing

Be it critter or fowl

With a woof and a woof

And a royal growl – woof

Spike and the girls immediately noticed the ruby red rug embroidered with morning glories and daffodils that looks like a cape and picked it up, putting it on his back to make him look more regal.

Gryphon: As I'd click my heel,

All the trees would kneel.

And the mountains bow

And the bulls kowtow

And the sparrow would take wing

If I

If I

Were King

Chopper and Pumpkinhead found a yellow flowerpot before the motorcycle took it and smashed the top half to make the bottom half look like a crown. He then gave it to Pumpkinhead, who placed it on Gryphon's head.

Gryphon: Each rabbit would show respect to me

The swans would genuflect to me

Though my tail would lash

I would show compash

For every underling!

If I

If I

Were King

Just King

"Your Majesty," Scootaloo asked as she, Spike, and the girls bowed to him like they would to Princess Celestia. "If you were king, you wouldn't be scared of anything?"

"Not anything, not anyhow," he answered with a proud smile.

"Not even a rhinoceros?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"Preposterous."

"How about a hippopotamus?" asked Spike.

"Why, I'd trash him from top to bottom-us."

"And if it were an elephant?" asked Apple Bloom.

"I'd wrap him up in shmelephant."

"What if it were a brontosaurus?" asked Scootaloo.

"I'll show him who's king of the forest."

"How?" everyone asked in unison.

"How?" he replied, spreading his wings to make the "cape" fall to the ground.

Gryphon: Monarch of all I survey

Mo-na-a-a-a-arch

Of all I survey

"Courage," he started his speech. "What makes a king out of a slave? Courage. What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage. What makes the elephant charge his tusks in the misty mist of the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage. What makes the Sphinx the Seventh Wonder? Courage. What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage. What makes the hot-n-tot so hot? What puts the ape in apricot? What they got that ain't got?"

"Courage," they answered in unison.

"You can say that again," he chuckled. They all turned to see Crowler come out of the doors. Now has come their moment…

"I'm sorry, but the Wizard kindly asks that you all go away." Their hearts sank as he then closed the doors with a low boom.

"Go away?" they asked in unison.

"Looks like we came all this way for nothing," Pumpkinhead sighed with a frown, but Sweetie Belle the most upset of them all.

"And I was so happy…" She then fell onto the steps and started crying. Chopper then went over to her and hugged her in comfort as the others tried to comfort her as well.

"Don't worry, Sweetie," the motorcycle said to her. "We'll see that you get to the Wizard…" As they were comforting the little filly, Crowler opened the rectangular porthole in the door to watch them, his focus on Sweetie Belle.

"Rarity was the best big sister I could ever ask for," she sobbed. "That's why I do everything I can to help her, especially with her dresses. I'm scared that she must be devastated that I'm not home…she might be sick and dying right now…and it's all my fault…"

When he heard this, Crowler began crying with a broken heart. All that little Unicorn wanted was to get back home to her sister, and all he did was lie to her and the others about the Wizard not wishing to see them. How could he have been so heartless?

"I'll never forgive myself," Sweetie sobbed into Chopper's "chest. "Never, never, never…"

"Oh, please!" Crowler finally sobbed, making the others turn to him with surprise. "Don't cry anymore; I'll let you in to see the Wizard. I have a sister myself too, ya know…" They all got up with renewed hope before the guard closed the porthole and the doors opened. They then stepped into the prime-colored hallway, ready to see the great and powerful Oz at last.

Ch.13: The Great and Powerful Oz

The red, yellow, and blue hallway they entered was long and quiet. It was so quiet that their footsteps echoed throughout the hall as they made contact with the marble floor. Of course, it was also too quiet for Gryphon.

"Uh, guys, I've been thinking," he whimpered. "I don't want to see the Wizard that badly. I'll see ya later." He then started to back away, but the others stopped him.

"Hey, hey," Scootaloo asked him, "what's wrong?"

"Oh, he's just being scared again," Chopper answered, going up to the freaked out beast and trying to calm him down. "Okay, easy, big guy. Cleansing breaths…cleansing breaths…" Gryphon then started inhaling and exhaling rapidly to try and calm down.

"Don't ya know the Wizard's gonna give ya some courage?" Apple Bloom asked him.

"I'd be too scared to ask him for it," he answered, wringing his tail tip with his talons with a gulp.

"Well, we'll ask him for you," Sweetie Belle assured him.

"I still think I should wait outside," he replied, turning to head to the front door. But the others stopped him and turned him around.

"Don't worry," Spike assured him. "We're here for ya; nothing's gonna happen." Gryphon would have said something but cried out with fear a second after pulling his tail roughly.

"What's wrong?" Scootaloo asked as they stopped him from running off again.

"Something pulled my tail!"

"Uh, you did it yourself," Pumpkinhead explained, pointing at the tail in his talons.

"I did?" he replied, looking down to see the tail in his shaky grip. "Oh…sorry." They all then lined up in a row and held hooves, talons, handlebars, and hands before stepping forward towards the large black and white double doors at the end of the hall. As they were halfway to their fifth step, the doors suddenly opened slowly before them, making them jump back a bit.

"COME FORWARD!" a deep, loud voice bellowed from the room behind the doors.

"Tell me when it's over," Gryphon whimpered, covering his eyes as they stepped closer to the doorway. It wasn't long before they entered some sort of throne room of ruby, topaz, and sapphire with black and white furniture. They then turned to the giant throne at the back of the room, a large, black-and-white marble throne decorated with the same gems. At either side of it is an ocean blue bowl-like torch holding a large tongue of golden-and-crimson fire. Suddenly, a cloud of black-and-white smoke emit from the seat of the throne.

"Look at that…Look at that!" Gryphon whimpered with fear. "I wanna get outta here!" They held onto him and tried to calm him down as some large head with no body appear out of the smoke, wisps of hair flying around his intimidating, glaring face like a wildfire.

"I AM OZ, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL!" the head said, the deep, loud voice bellowing from his mouth filled with fang-like teeth as smoke billowed around him. "WHO ARE YOU?" With a fearful gulp, Sweetie Belle stepped forward from the trembling group up to the throne with Spike right behind her just in case.

"Uh, I…I am Sweetie Belle," she answered nervously, "the Small and Meek. My friends Spike, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo and I…we came to ask—"

"SILENCE!" Oz roared, making the two youngsters run back to the group with yelps.

"Jiminy crickets!" Apple Bloom cried as she and Scootaloo hugged them to help calm them down.

"THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ KNOWS WHY YOU HAVE COME HERE," Oz said to them. "COME FORWARD, CHOPPER!"

"Yikes…" the motorcycle whimpered, but wheeled up to the throne anyway, shaking in his spokes.

"YOU COME HERE TO ME TO ASK FOR HEART," Oz interrogated him. "IS THAT RIGHT, YOU CLINKING, CLANKING PILE OF SCRAP METAL?" Chopper gulped with fear as he kept on shaking.

"Y-Yessir," he stuttered. "I-I mean, yes, Your Honor…See, a while back, we were walking down the Yellow Brick Road, and—"

"SILENCE!" In reply, Chopper cried out before zooming back to his friends, hiding behind Gryphon. Now he knows how his black-and-golden friend feels.

"STEP FORTH, PUMPKINHEAD!" Oz demanded, and the poor scarecrow felt forward in a groveling position. "YOU COME HERE TO ME TO ASK FOR A BRAIN, YOU PATHETIC, WALKING STICK FIGURE SQUASH?" Pumpkinhead reluctantly looked up at him in fear.

"Y-Yes, Your Excellency," he stuttered. "I-I mean, Your Wizardry…"

"ENOUGH!" Pumpkinhead quickly stumbled back to the group. "AND YOU, GRYPHON?" Gryphon whimpered as the others ushered him up to the throne, and he looked up at the glaring head timidly. "WELL?" But the poor beast only crossed his eyes and fainted in a heap of fur and feathers. Quickly, Spike and Scootaloo ran up to him, followed by the others.

"Gryphon!" Spike said, fanning his larger face. "Gryph, you okay?" Scootaloo looked up at Oz angrily.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" she yelled. "Scaring him like that when he came to you for help!"

"SILENCE, SMALL ONE!" Oz demanded, making her shut up. "THE BENEVOLENT OZ HAS EVERY INTENTION OF GRANTING YOUR REQUESTS." Gryphon's head immediately shot up as the others' faces lit up with hope.

"What was that?" he asked as the others helped him up to his feet. "What did he say? Huh? What did he say?" They all turned to Oz as he spoke again.

"TO PROVE YOURSELVES WORTHY OF YOUR REQUESTS, YOU MUST FIRST PERFORM FOR ME A SMALL TASK: BRING ME THE MASK OF WUYA OF THE WEST." Their faces fell at this request. Bring him Wuya's mask? That's crazy!

"But we'll have to kill her for it to get it," Chopper protested.

"That's right," Pumpkinhead concurred.

"THAT IS THE WISH OF THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ," the head replied firmly. "BRING ME THE MASK OF WUYA, AND I SHALL GRANT YOU YOUR WISHES…NOW GO." Gryphon gulped before speaking up.

"But…but what if she…kills us first?"

"I SAID GO!" Pumpkinhead jumped back in reply before tumbling to the floor, and Chopper and Spike went over to help him back up. The Gryphon, however, cried out with fear before dashing out of the room and down the hall. The CMCs then watched as he then smashed himself through one of the stained glass windows by the castle doors.

"I hope we're not gonna pay for that," Scootaloo stated with a sweat-drop.

Sorry for the delay, but I had to get a new battery for my laptop. Just got it now, and here's the nest chapter. Enjoy. And just a reminder, I don't own anything; this is all a parody.

Ch.14: Hunt For the Witch

Some time after our seven heroes left the Prime Color City and headed west, they reached a forest that looks deader than dead: black trees gnarled in various places; dry, gray dirt path; large black rocks. The setting sun had turned the sky above them blood red, and the only animals they can see around them are grayscale vultures and owls in the tree branches, watching them with glowing red eyes.

The group made their way down the dry path, the male members holding weapons. Spike clutches onto a large butterfly net while Pumpkinhead shakily brandishes a sword in his leafy hands. Chopper has ready an axe while Gryphon held onto a large mallet with his wings, the Cutie Mark Crusaders riding on his back.

It wasn't long before the group came upon a signpost made of black driftwood and topped with a large deer skull. The Ponies leapt off of Gryphon to read out the white writing painted on it roughly:

"Wuya's Castle – 1 Mile Ahead. I'd turn back if I were you." Gryphon nodded with concurrence before turning to leave, only to be stopped by Chopper and Pumpkinhead.

"Dude, this is no time to chicken out," Spike said to him.

"I'll have you know, Spike, I'm part bird," Gryphon stated in annoyance.

"What's that got to do with—"

"Actually," Pumpkinhead interrupted, "he's got a good point when you think about it."

"C'mon, guys," Scootaloo said to them. "If the Wizard's to grant our wishes, we have to fight Wuya and get her mask." They then started down the path leading to the castle. Gryphon freaked out at the owls and vultures glaring at them and made a break for it, but Chopper and Pumpkinhead caught him and turned him around to make him return to the group with a lot of whimpering. However, his friends became a little scared as well from all the eerie noises going on around them.

"I don't know about you guys," Spike gulped in between Gryphon's trembling eagle claws, "but I think there are ghosts here."

"Oh, that's silly," Chopper huffed. "Ghosts? Really?"

"D-Don't you b-believe in g-ghosts?" asked Apple Bloom. Chopper only rolled his eyes in reply.

"Of course not. I mean, you'd have to be a supersti—" He cried out when he was suddenly lifted off the ground and thrown onto a pile of dry gray leaves with a painful crash, as if by invisible angels.

"CHOPPER!" Sweetie Belle cried as she ran over to him, and the others ran after her to help their motorcycle friend.

"Chopper, are you okay?" Scootaloo asked when they reached him. He only cracked an eye open at them in pain.

"Jeez, who knew ghosts would be that touchy…" In reply, Gryphon got down on the ground, covered his head with his claws and wings, and started whimpering.

"I do believe in ghosts! I do believe in ghosts! I do, I do, I do, I do, I do!"

"I do believe in ghosts! I do believe in ghosts! I do, I do, I do, I do, I do!" Wuya cackled at the image of Gryphon in her crystal ball before it faded away.

"You'll be believing in more than that," she said. "I'll promise you that." She then went up to Niddler standing by the open castle window. "Take the strongest of your men and bring those fillies to me. Do what you want with the others, but I want those three unharmed. Understand?"

"Yes, Mistress," Niddler answered nervously.

"Good," she replied before shooting her arm out at the horizon. "Now GO!" With that, Niddler flew out the window to join his fellow monkey-birds flying by. Wuya then watched after them, cackling evilly.

Sorry about the delay again, I was working on a book for my mother. Anyway, here's another chapter of the Wizard of Oz Parody. Enjoy.

Ch.15: Spike and the CMCs Get Captured

As our heroes brushed off Chopper's body, they heard the flapping of wings and the screeching of monkeys.

"What's that?" asked Spike before Gryphon looked up.

"Guys!" he yelled, pointing up at the sky. They all looked up to see the Monkey-Birds flying towards them.

"Run for it!" Pumpkinhead cried. They then ran as the Monkey-Birds chased after them. But the aerial creatures are too fast for them; they surrounded our heroes before they knew it.

"Augh! Not my tail! NOT MY TAIL!" Gryphon cried, beating his wings fiercely to keep them away. Close by, Pumpkinhead cried out with surprise as they started to pull him apart (it doesn't hurt considering he's a pumpkin-headed scarecrow). And Chopper tried to fight them off by kicking dirt at them with his back tire.

Meanwhile, Spike and the CMCs made a break for it, but Niddler and a few of the Monkey-Birds caught sight of them. They flew through the fight and reached the four little one. While Niddler grabbed Sweetie Belle, the others grabbed Spike, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo. The girls screamed as they took off into the sky.

"They got Spike and the girls!" Chopper cried right before a Monkey-Bird knocked him aside and crashed him into Gryphon. While they're stunned, the flock retreated with their prisoners. They snapped out of it however when they heard Pumpkinhead cry out to them.

"Help! Help!" they got up to their feet/tires and rushed over to Pumpkinhead. Well, what's left of him; his head is on the ground with his clothes.

"Wow, what happened to you?" asked Gryphon.

"It was those Monkey-Birds," the head answered as Chopper held it in his handlebars. "First they threw one of my arms into the trees. Then they threw one of my legs into the rocks. And—"

"Well, that's just you all over, dude," Chopper sighed, placing the jack-o-lantern on his seat.

"Never mind that," Gryphon stated. "We gotta get Spike and the girls back!" So they set to work on getting Pumpkinhead back together so that they can go save Spike and the CMCs from Wuya.

Just remember; this is a parody of Wizard of Oz. Anyway, Enjoy.

Ch.16: Prisoners and Victims

Meanwhile, Niddler and his flock had brought Spike and the girls to Wuya. They are now in her large room with the crystal ball, and she is stroking a struggling Spike in her grips.

"Such a darling little dragon, isn't he?" she purred.

"Let me go, you old hag!" he growled. She only chuckled coldly before handing her over to Niddler, who placed Spike into a lidded basket.

"Spike!" Apple Bloom cried as the girls rushed over to the basket. But Wuya stood in front of them to stop them, making them look up at her with fear in their tearing eyes.

"Please!" Scootaloo begged. "Let Spike go!"

"All in good time, my little Ponies," she purred. "You can have him back…in exchange for the Gem-Bands."

"But Wuya told us not to take them off," Sweetie Belle protested, placing her hoof on her Gem-Band and making Wuya frown angrily.

"Fine…" She then turned to Niddler. "Throw that basket into the moat and drown that runt!" The red Monkey-Bird blinked with shock.

"B-But Mistress Wuya—"

"No!" Sweetie Belle cried with tears. "Please! You can have them; just don't hurt him."

"I figured you'd see things my way," Wuya purred as she knelt down before the little Unicorn who just held still. She then reached down to remove the Gem-Band…only for white sparks to shoot out of it and shock her fingers.

"AUGH!" Wuya pulled away with pain, making the little Ponies gasp with shock.

"I…I'm sorry," Sweetie Belle said, fearing the witch is going to hurt Spike now. "It wasn't me, I swear."

"Curse it," Wuya growled, ignoring her pleas. "I should've known better. Those Gem-Bands will never come off…" She then turned to the Ponies with a glare that filled them with fear. "As long as you're still alive." They held each other as their fear increased. They tried to protest, but she only went on.

"It's not a matter of when, of course; it's how to do it. These things must be done delicately; otherwise, the spell will have no effect." As Wuya pondered this, Niddler figured enough is enough and lifted the lid of the basket, much to Spike's surprise.

"Run," he whispered. Deciding to not ask questions right now, Spike hopped out of the basket and ran out the door as fast as he could. The good news is he figured out which way to go by following the path Niddler and his Monkey-Birds took when bringing him and the girls here. The bad news is Wuya found out about his escape when the girls cried out to him.

"Run, Spike! Run for it!"

"You dingbat! Stop him!"

Spike just kept running for the drawbridge, even though it's starting to go up. With his increased speed, he ran up the drawbridge and grabbed onto the end to hoist his body up. Then he hopped off and landed safely onto the ground on the outer side of the moat.

But Spike knows he has to keep running to get to complete safety. He already saw a bunch of small, round, and red soldiers with really long spears running up the castle walls and trying to throw their spears at him with their stubby little arms. Leading them are two taller knights. One is has blue armor and a pinkish-purple mask with light green shoulder pads, and his companion has a turquoise mask and shoulder pads and brown armor. Despite all the spears landing around him, Spike got away without a scratch and disappeared through the rocks.

"He got away," Sweetie Belle said, watching the escape from the window. Wuya only snarled in reply.

"Which is more than I can say the same for you," she said before bringing forth a giant hourglass filled with red sand and showing it to the frightened Ponies. "You see this sand? That's how long you got left to live, which won't be for long." To their dismay, she snapped her fingers to make the hourglass turn over, making the sand seep down into the empty bottom half. "I can't wait to get those Gem-Bands forever." She then rushed out of the room and slammed the door behind her. With the three of them alone, Sweetie Belle collapsed besides the crystal ball crying.

"I'm scared…I'm scared, Rarity! I'm scared…" Seeing their friend upset and missing their sisters as well, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo went up to their friend and tried to comfort her.

"Sweetie Belle, can you hear me, darling?"

"Apple Bloom, we're tryin' to find ya."

"Scoots, where are ya!" Hearing the voices, they looked up at the crystal ball, which is showing them an image of their older sisters looking around to search for them.

"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle cried, placing her front hooves on the ball. "We're right here, trapped in the witch's castle. We're trying to get back home to you!" The images then began to fade, much to the girls' dismay. "No, don't leave us! Please, Rarity! Come back! Come back!" Just then, an image of Wuya appeared on the ball, scaring the girls as she mockingly called out to Rarity.

"Rarity! Rarity! I'll give you Rarity, my little pretties!" she then cackled before fading away. In reply, Sweetie Belle fell into her friends' embrace sobbing while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo turned to the hourglass ticking away towards their fate.

Ch.17: To the Rescue

Meanwhile, Spike kept on running until he reached the small area where Gryphon and Chopper had just finished putting Pumpkinhead back together again.

"Guys!" he cried out happily as he ran up to them.

"Spike!" Chopper cried, taking the little dragon into his handlebars with surprise. "Are you okay? Where are the girls?"

"They're trapped in Wuya's castle!" he answered in between pants. "And I think she's…gonna…We just gotta get them back! I don't think they've much time!"

"Do you know the quickest way there?" Pumpkinhead asked.

"It's just over that hill behind me," the little dragon answered, thumbing at said hill behind him, "but it's really steep and rocky."

"Lead the way!" So the four of them made their way up the hill to try and get to Wuya's castle.

The way up is pretty steep and rocky like Spike said. Just halfway to the top, Chopper slipped and almost fell back, but he grabbed onto Gryphon's tail as some rocks under them rolled to the ground below.

"Oh," Gryphon grunted in pain, "I sure hope my strength holds out."

"I hope your tail holds out!" Chopper whimpered with a pale glance at the ground below. They quickly made their way up the hill before they finally got over to the other side. And right before them is the dreary castle of Wuya of the West.

"Yeesh," Spike groaned. "And I thought Wuya was ugly." Since he was too busy running away from the guards, he didn't bother to give the place a second glance.

"The girls are trapped in that awful place?" Pumpkinhead asked with shock.

"Oh, I hate to think of Sweetie Belle in there," Chopper whimpered, trying to fight back his tears. "We just gotta get them out." Pumpkinhead quickly comforted him with a pat on the back.

"Don't ya start crying again, Chopper," he warned. "I didn't bring your oilcan with me this time."

"Yeah, and no offense," added Spike who's riding on his back, "but you're squeaky enough as it is."

"Uh, guys," Gryphon then said as he looked down at the drawbridge area nervously. "I think we got a problem." They looked down to see the little round and red soldiers from before marching about in military exercise in chant:

"O-Ee-Yah! Eoh-Ah! O-Ee-Yah! Eoh-Ah!" Observing them are the two knights and their captain, a knight in silver armor with golden eyes and a flowing blue cape.

"They may be short," Spike gulped, "but I don't know if we can handle them all, especially those three."

"Don't worry," Pumpkinhead said with a snap of his leafy fingers. "I've got a plan on how to get in there."

"Oh, good," Gryphon sighed. "You've got a plan."

"And you're gonna lead us," the scarecrow added. The larger beast turned to him in shock.

"Me?! I gotta get in there."

"Yes, you." Gryphon turned to the castle with a gulp before becoming firm and brave.

"Alright, I'll go in there for the girls, Wuya or no Wuya. Guards or no guards, I'll tear them apart. I may not come out alive, but I'm going in there. There's only one thing I want you guys to do."

"What's that?" the others asked.

"Talk me out of it," he whimpered as he sulked fearfully. They just rolled their eyes in annoyance before grabbing him.

"C'mon." And they pulled the reluctant Gryphon with them. They then made their way down to the base of the hill, but they stood out of sight. They then started to listen to what Pumpkinhead has in mind:

"If we can disguise ourselves as those guards, we can sneak in without getting caught."

"How are we gonna get disguises?" asked Chopper.

"Uh, guys?" Gryphon whimpered.

"If we grab a few, we can take their outfits," Pumpkinhead answered.

"Guys?"

"But how are gonna grab them?" asked Spike.

"Guys!" Before the others could ask their fourth companion what's wrong, three of the guards that snuck up on them jumped them and fought with them. But in the end, our heroes won and got the disguises off the knocked out guards. They were surprised to find that they stretch out to fit them, but they decided to let it slide and focus on getting in without getting noticed. They then watched the two nights turn to their captain with salutes.

"We're ready to return into the castle, Captain Meta Knight," the turquoise knight said to him.

"Alright," the blue-caped knight replied with a Spanish accent before turning to his troops. "Men, into the castle!"

"Now's our chance," Pumpkinhead said to the others as the three knights began leading the guards across the drawbridge. "C'mon." They then marched at the very back of the troops, who didn't bother looking behind them to see them. But our heroes stayed focused to avoid suspicion. Soon they were inside the castle, and they dodged to the side as the troops kept on marching away.

"Now which way do we go?" asked Chopper.

"This way, guys," Spike answered, leading them up the stone stairway. They then followed the little dragon up the stairs and towards a wooden door leading into the room where the girls are trapped.

"Girls," Spike called. "Girls, can you hear us?" Inside, the girls rushed up to the door upon hearing his voice.

"Spike!"

"Don't worry; the guys are here! We're gonna get you out!"

"Please hurry!" Sweetie Belle said, turning to the hourglass, which is down to a quarter. "The sand's almost run out!"

"Stand back!" Chopper cried. On the other side of the door, he and Gryphon backed up before charging and bashing into the door, which then started to give in. And with a fifth bash, the door smashed to pieces, and the girls rushed out of the room and into their friends' arms just as the hourglass was down to mere seconds.

"Guys!" Scootaloo sobbed happily as she hugged Gryphon. "Oh, you have no idea how much we've missed you!"

"We've missed you too," Pumpkinhead said as he hugged Apple Bloom.

"Did Wuya hurt ya?" Chopper asked Sweetie Belle. "Cuz if she did, she's gonna regret it!"

"We'll worry about that later," she answered. "Right now, we gotta get out of here."

"Finally something we can agree on," Gryphon replied as Spike and the girls gathered onto his back. Once done, he, Chopper, and Pumpkinhead rushed down the hall and back down the stairs to make a break for the drawbridge outside the entrance…only for the doors to close suddenly with a boom followed by a cackling laugh!

Once again, I don't own anything but the parody.

Ch.18: Showdown with Wuya

Our trapped heroes turned to see the guards and the three knights rushed up to them with held up spears (the knights have swords). They then looked up to the upper level to see Wuya looking down at them with a sadistic grin, the hourglass at her left and a very nervous Niddler at her right.

"Leaving so soon?" she purred to her prisoners. "Why, I wouldn't dream of it. The fun's just begun."

"We're trapped!" cried the freaked out Gryphon. "Trapped like mice!"

"Like rats," Scootaloo corrected, despite the situation.

"Who cares? We're trapped!" Pumpkinhead meanwhile noticed something interesting as he looked around while the guards growled at him and his friends.

"Now, now," Wuya said to them. "Not so quickly; we should give them some time to think it over."

"Gryphon," Pumpkinhead then whispered to him. "The rope to your right…" Gryphon turned to see what he was talking about. To his left is a rope wrapped around a hook in the wall. He immediately understood.

"Give me the word…" They then watched as Wuya with a cry threw the hourglass down to the ground below between our heroes and the guards, and it exploded in a puff of red smoke.

"Now!" Hearing his cue from Pumpkinhead, Gryphon bit hard on the rope with his beak to cut it. When he did, the large wooden chandelier above the guards fell from the ceiling and onto the guards with a crash, catching them all off guard including the knights that leapt out of the way.

"Run for it!" Chopper cried before the group ran down the hall behind them.

"You fools!" Wuya roared down to her stunned guards. "Don't you stand there; after them!" They quickly got out from under the chandelier and gave chase.

The heroic groups made many twists and turns to escape their pursuers, and they had to make sharp turns to the side when more guards came up to block them, the girls screaming when they jumped out at them. But Wuya has a little trick up her sleeve.

"Meta Knight," she said to the blue captain, "you and I will take one half to the left." She then turned to the other two knights. "You two lead your half down the right."

"Yes, ma'am," the knights replied with salutes, and they split into two groups to head down the two paths.

Meanwhile, our heroes were running as fast as they could down the path on the castle wall. But then they stopped with screeches when they saw to two knights with their group of guards heading towards them.

"Other way!" Spike cried, and they turned around and headed back in the direction they came from…only to be blocked by Wuya and Meta Knight's guards within the small room of the tower where the two castle walls meet.

"We're trapped!" Sweetie Belle cried when both parties surrounded them. Wuya only chuckled coldly before walking up to them.

"Well, well, well," she coaxed mockingly. "Ring around the rosie, a pocket full of spears." She then glared at the girls, who cowered behind a shuddering Gryphon. "Well, you've been giving me enough trouble already. So you'll be last ones to see your friends be the first to go…and your little dragon too." She then snapped her fingers, and a green flame appeared on her fingertip. "How about a little fire, scarecrow?" She then flicked her finger out at Pumpkinhead with a laugh to fling the flame onto his arm.

"Help!" he cried, shaking his arm up and down with panic. "I'm on fire!" Sweetie Belle spotted a bucket of water at the side and quickly remembered the levitating spell Twilight taught her. Quickly she lifted it up with her bright green aura and brought it over to throw the water at the fire on her friend's arm, not knowing Wuya's face going pale when she saw it.

"No!" she screamed. "Don't throw that water!" But she was too late. Sweetie Belle already threw the water and dowsed the flame…splashing it all over Wuya's face and ruining her makeup when she did! The witch screamed out as smoke seeped out of her, much to everyone's surprise.

"You cursed brat!" she screamed at Sweetie Belle as she began to shrink into the floor with hissing noises like she's melting. "Look what you've done! I'm melting…melting! Oh, what a world, what a world! Who would've thought a sweet little filly like you could destroy my beautiful wickedness! Oh, look out! Look out! I'm going…oh…ohhhhhh…" They all watched as she melted/vaporized into nothingness, and soon all that was left was her dress and mask. They were all in awe as Niddler and Spike went up to them with curiosity and poked at the dress until Meta Knight turned to Sweetie Belle.

"She's dead," he said to her. "You've killed her…" Sweetie Belle held her hooves to her gapping mouth with dread when she saw that he's right.

"I…I didn't mean to," she protested softly. "My…my friend was on fire…It was an accident…" The blue-caped knight only turned to his troops, holding out his white satin-gloved hand to Sweetie Belle.

"Hail to Sweetie Belle!" he cried, surprising the heroes. "The Wicked Witch is dead!"

"Hail to Sweetie Belle!" they cheered in reply. "The Wicked Witch is dead!" Meta Knight then turned to the heroes.

"Young one," he said to Sweetie Belle, "you have no idea how much this means to us that you have freed us from Wuya's slavery. You are truly the bravest of us all." He then knelt before the group, followed by his troops. Sweetie Belle only looked away with a blushing smile…only to notice Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looking at their flanks with frowns.

"What's wrong, guys?"

"We thought maybe we'd get a Cutie Mark for slaying witches since Wuya's the second one we've killed accidentally," Scootaloo answered.

"Looks like ya didn't," Apple Bloom added. The others just shook their heads with laughs. Some things just never change. That's when Sweetie Belle remembered something important.

Wuya's mask! She then turned to Meta Knight.

"May we have the mask please?" The blue-caped knight then picked up the mask gently before handing it to her like a delicate flower.

"Take it with you," he said with happiness in his gentle voice. With a joyful smile, Sweetie threw her front legs around him the best she could and hugged him.

"Thank you!" she cried happily as he then returned the hug. "Thank you so much!" She then turned to her friends. "Now we can go back to the Wizard and tell him that Wuya's dead!"

"Hail!" the guards cheered. "Wuya the Witch is dead!"

Ch.19: The Real Wizard

Getting back to the Prime Color City was easy for our heroes. As further gratitude for freeing them, Niddler and his flock offered to fly our heroes to the city. Gryphon was a bit reluctant at first, but after finding out what a wonderful feeling it is flying, he started to fly himself the rest of the way, completely forgetting about his acrophobia because he got over it. Now our heroes are standing before Oz in the throne room.

"CAN I BELIEVE MY EYES?" he asked in his booming voice. "WHY HAVE YOU COME BACK?" Sweetie Belle then went up to him a bit with the mask in her bright green aura before placing it on the steps before her with a smile, the others watching after her.

"Great Oz, we've done what you've told us to do," she said. "We've brought you Wuya's mask. We've melted her."

"Well, technically, she melted her," Pumpkinhead pointed out as the little Unicorn returned to the group, "but you know what we mean."

"AH," the Wizard replied, sounding impressed, "YOU LIQUIDATED HER, HAVE YOU? VERY RESOURCEFUL." The others smiled in reply.

"Thanks, Your Excellency," Apple Bloom replied, feeling humbled by his impressed compliment.

"So…does that mean you'll keep your promise to us?" asked Scootaloo, fluttering her wings hopefully.

"NOT SO FAST!" the Wizard boomed suddenly, causing them to jump back with surprise before black-and-white smoke began billowing around the large head. "I HAVE TO GIVE THE MATTER A LITTLE THOUGHT. GO AWAY AND COME BACK TOMORROW."

"Tomorrow?" the girls cried with dismay.

"But we want to go home now!" Spike yelled, stamping his foot angrily. Their friend went up to their side bravely, despite their shaking legs/tires.

"You had plenty of time already!" Chopper snapped, pointing an accusing handlebar at the head hiding behind the smoke.

"Yeah," Gryphon added with a growl.

"DO NOT DARE AROUSE THE WRATH OF THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ!" the head roared as Spike turned to the side and noticed a curtain-covered booth of some kind close by the group. "I SAID COME BACK TOMORROW!"

"What is that?" the little dragon asked himself before going up to the booth to investigate.

"If you really are great and powerful," Sweetie Belle challenged bravely, "you'd keep your promises!"

"YOU DARE CRITICIZE THE GREAT OZ, YOU UNGRATEFUL CREATURES? CONSIDER YOURSELVES LUCKY THAT I'M GIVING YOU AN AUDIENCE TOMORROW INSTEAD OF TWENTY YEARS FROM NOW!"

"Hey, guys!" Spike suddenly called over to the group. They turned to see that he opened the curtain to see a control panel with a microphone behind it. And a human man was working/talking into them. He's tan with short brown hair under a brown top hat with a red band and wearing a brown jacket, brown pants, and forest green shoes. He turned to them with surprise to reveal brown eyes and an orange shirt under the jacket. Seeing the others looking at him with surprise, he quickly grabbed the curtain and closed it.

"PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!" the "head" ordered as they went up to the booth and opened the curtain. "THE GREAT OZ HAS SPOKEN!"

"Who are you?" Apple Bloom demanded, making the man turn to her with surprise. He then turned to the mike to talk into it again.

"I…I AM THE GREAT AND POWERFUL—"

"Will you knock it off?" Scootaloo snapped with annoyance. Jumping at her outburst, the man sighed in defeat and spoke to them in an English gentleman's voice.

"Wizard of Oz."

"You?" Sweetie Belle replied with shock. "I don't believe you!"

"I'm afraid it's true, my dear," the man sighed with a shrug. "There's no other 'wizard' but me, Archeology Professor Hershel Layton of London's Gressenheller University." He then took his hat off and bowed to them as any gentleman would in greeting. But the others aren't moved by his manners.

"You humbug!" Pumpkinhead yelled, scolding the professor.

"Yeah," Gryphon growled with a glare. Professor Layton sighed in reply.

"It's true," he said, sadly putting his hat back on. "I am a humbug, although I never meant to be."

"Are you some kind of bad guy?" Spike inquired with a glare.

"Oh, no, little one," Layton assured him. "I'm a good person; I'm just a very bad wizard. Archeology and puzzle-solving are my best qualities, but never magic."

"But what about the courage you've promised Gryphon," Pumpkinhead demanded, "and the heart you've promised Chopper?"

"And Pumpkinhead's brain?" Chopper and Gryphon added simultaneously. Layton only smiled in reply.

"Why, anyone can have a brain," he answered Pumpkinhead. "From the smallest ant crawling through the grassy garden to the largest whale swimming through the ocean, there lies a brain that helps it think throughout its entire life. Where I come from, we have schools and universities like Gressenheller, and it is there people go to learn things so they can become great thinkers in the future, coming out thinking deep thoughts. And they have no more brains than you. What they have and what you lack is a diploma." He then opened a small forest green handbag in the booth with him and took out a white scroll with a red silk ribbon.

"Therefore," he added, unrolling the scroll to show Pumpkinhead the diploma inside, "by virtue of the authority vested in me, by the Gressenheller University committee and Alpha Pi Omega, I hereby confer upon you the honorary degree of PhD." He then rolled it back up again before handing it to the awed scarecrow.

"PhD?" he then asked.

"Doctor of Philosophy," the man answered knowingly. Deciding to try it, Pumpkinhead placed his finger on the side of his head.

"The sum of the square roots of any two sides of an isosceles triangle is equal to the square root of the remaining side." He blinked with a smile of realization. "I…I don't believe it! I've got a brain!" He then threw his arms around Layton and hugged him. "I…I couldn't thank you enough!"

"Oh, you're very welcome," he replied with a chuckle before being freed from his embrace so Apple Bloom can hug the scarecrow.

"Way to go, Pumpkinhead!" she cheered as Layton turned to Gryphon.

"As for you, my majestic friend," he said, "you are just a victim of disorganized thinking, delusional of the belief that you have no courage because you run away from danger. You confuse courage with wisdom. Where I come from, we have people who are called heroes, such as a good acquaintance of mine Inspector Chelmey of Scotland Yard. Once a year, they would take their fortitude out of mothballs and parade down the city's main street. And they have no more courage than you have. What they have and what you lack is a medal." He then took out a flat case in his handbag to take out a golden triple-cross medal on a red silk band.

"Therefore," he added, "for meritorious conduct, extraordinary valor, and conspicuous bravery against the late Wuya of the West, I hereby award you the Triple-Cross and dub you member of the Legion of Courageous Heroes." The honored Gryphon blushed as the professor placed the medal around his thick neck, and his blush became deeper when Scootaloo hugged him with cheering congrats.

"Aww, shucks, guys" he chuckled, shuffling his eagle foot into the floor bashfully, "I'm speechless." Layton then knelt down before Chopper to be leveled with him.

"And as for you, Chopper," he said with a hand on his handlebar, "you want a heart. I guess you are unaware as to how fortunate you are not to have one; hearts won't be practical until they can be made unbreakable."

"Well," the motorcycle replied, "I still want one; being heartless is like being lifeless." The professor smiled in reply at this reasonable statement.

"Where I come from," he explained, "we have philanthropists, people who love to do good deeds for others, much like my dearest friends Luke Triton and Flora Reinhold. And their hearts are no bigger than yours. What they have and what you lack is a testimonial." He then reached into his bag and pulled out a large red watch shaped like a heart and on a golden chain.

"Therefore," he added, "in consideration of your kindness, it gives me great honor to bestow upon you this small token of our esteem and affection." He then placed the watch into the grateful motorcycle's handlebars. "And remember this, Chopper: a heart is not judged by how much you loved…" He then turned to Sweetie Belle knowingly. "But by how much you are loved by others." Chopper and Sweetie Belle smiled at each other, understanding what he meant. The motorcycle then held his watch up to the side of his helmet to hear it ticking.

"Hey!" he cried with delight. "It ticks! Sweetie, it ticks!" He held it up to her ear happily as Gryphon showed Scootaloo his new medal.

"Look what my medal says, Scootaloo. 'Courage'." Scootaloo smiled as well before Pumpkinhead spoke up.

"Hey, what about Spike and the girls?"

"Yeah," Chopper added, turning to Layton. "Spike and the girls now."

"Ah, yes," the Professor replied, placing his hand on his chin in thought. "Spike and the girls…" Spike only sighed sadly.

"I don't think there's anything in that bag that could get us home to Ponyville."

"Yes, you four have put in quite the predicament," Layton concurred, "but I'm certain the best way to help you is to take you back to Ponyville myself."

"Really?" Scootaloo replied, fluttering her wings with excitement.

"Can you really do that?" asked Apple Bloom.

"My dear child," Layton chuckled, "you cut me to the quick. I had accidentally found myself in Ponyville before, and its traditions and customs fascinated me greatly. Then some time later, as I was taking a relaxing hot-air balloon ride, the most unexpected phenomenon happened to me: the balloon failed to return to the town."

"It did?" replied the shocked Gryphon.

"Were you scared?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"Well, I was quite worried at first," the professor confessed, "but a true gentleman never panics foolishly, no matter how dire the situation is. So I kept calm and let the wind guide the balloon to wherever it blows while standing by in case something should happen. Before long, the balloon landed in this very city, where I was deemed the Wizard of Oz for my amazing arrival. I still have the balloon in my possession, and with it, the five of us will return to Ponyville at last." Happy at this news, Spike and the Cutie Mark Crusaders jumped up into Layton's arms and hugged him. They're finally going home!

Just a heads-up, what you are about to read is a parody, so i don't own anything. Enjoy.

Ch.20: The Secret of the Gem-Bands

Some time later, the citizens of Prime Color City were gathered around the large red hot-air balloon in the town square, ready to see Professor Layton, Spike, and the CMCs off as they stood inside of the balloon. Also with them next to the balloon are Pumpkinhead, Chopper, and Gryphon. Everyone then quieted down as Layton began his speech:

"To my devoted citizens of Prime Color City: I wish to announce to you all that I must leave you all for an important matter: to speak with my brethren with my brother wizards waiting for me via stratosphere. But do no fear, for I have chosen three others to rule in my stead." He then turned to Pumpkinhead, Chopper, and Gryphon, who then stepped forward, and held out his hand to them. "I have chosen the wise Pumpkinhead for his wise brains to rule in my stead, and at his side as his council and aide as well are the passionate Chopper for his loving heart and the brave Gryphon for his heroic courage. Follow their rule as you have followed mine."

"Thank you, Great Wizard," Pumpkinhead said to him with a bow from him and the others and finding the right words. "We vow to watch over your prosperous utopia with…the purest of virtue." The crowds cheered for their new ruler who blushed in reply.

"Well said there, dude," Chopper murmured to him, elbowing him gently with a smirk.

"Indeed," Gryphon concurred with a smile of pride. As this was going on, Spike stood on the edge of the basket to wave to the cheering crowds when he lost his balance and fell out with a cry and rolled down the stairs of the stand the balloon's on.

"Spike!" the girls cried, jumping out of the basket to catch up to him and get him back inside.

"I'll get him!" Pumpkinhead, Chopper, and Gryphon cried simultaneously. Layton paled at what they plan to do.

"No! The ropes!" But it was too late; they let go of the ropes holding the balloon, letting them unravel from around the posts as they rushed down the steps to help Spike. Layton then called out to them as the balloon slowly rose from the stand. They immediately looked up to see the balloon floating away but were too late to stop it.

"No!" Sweetie Belle called, running up to the balloon that's now out of her reach. "Don't go! Please come back!"

"I can't!" he called back. "I don't remember how this thing even works!" He reluctantly waved goodbye to the citizens cheering for him from below before turning to our heroes with a sad glance that's saying for him how sorry he is that he failed to keep his promise to Spike and the girls.

Back with them and the others, they were devastated over their loss. Spike and the girls were going home, and the opportunity slipped right though their hooves and claws.

"Oh, what are we going to do now?" Sweetie Belle whimpered, sobbing into Chopper's handlebars.

"Stay with us, girls," Gryphon then answered, holding back his tears as he nuzzled Scootaloo. "We don't want you to go."

"We know," Apple Bloom replied sadly, "but this could never be like Ponyville." She then turned to Pumpkinhead. "Oh, Pumpkinhead, what are we going to do?" The scarecrow then thought a bit before something in the sky caught his eye and he pointed up at it.

"Look, there's someone who can help." Everyone looked up to see a sphere floating towards the stand. It looks as though it's made of ribbons of sapphire blue water.

"Misty?" When the orb landed, the ribbons vanish to reveal Misty, the Mermaid Witch of the North whom they've not seen since their adventure began. She then smiled at Spike and the CMCs as she floated up to them.

"Misty," Scootaloo begged. "Can you help us?" She only smiled as she knelt down to them.

"You don't have to be helped anymore," she explained, tapping Apple Bloom's Gem-Band. "Now those Gem-Bands can take you all back home in two shakes of a pony's tail." Their faces lit up with surprise.

"Really?"

"Then…why didn't you tell them before?" asked Pumpkinhead.

"I was gonna ask the same thing," Gryphon added.

"Because they must learn something important but special as well," Misty answered.

"Well, what did you learn girls?" Chopper asked.

"Well," Sweetie Belle answered after thinking about it. "I think…it wasn't enough to just want to see our sisters and friends. If we ever look for our heart's desire again, we won't need to look any further than Ponyville, our home. Because…if it's not there to begin with, we've never lost it in the first place." She then turned to Misty. "Right?"

"Indeed it is," she answered with a smile.

"It's so simple," Pumpkinhead replied with a smile. "I would've thought of that for you."

"I would've been brave enough to tell you," Gryphon stated.

"I would've felt it in my heart," Chopper added.

"You wouldn't need to as long as long as they thought of it themselves," Misty stated before turning to the girls again. "And now the Gem-Bands will take you girls home in no time at all."

"Me too?" asked Spike.

"Yes," she laughed. "You too, Spike."

"Yes!" he jumped with delight. But then he and the girls frowned before turning to Pumpkinhead, Chopper, and Gryphon who frowned sadly.

"It's gonna be really hard to say goodbye," Sweetie Belle replied before wrapping her front legs around Chopper's "neck" tearfully. He only hugged her tightly in reply, tears freely flowing down his face.

"Goodbye, Chopper," she whimpered before noticing the tears staining his face. "Oh, don't you start crying; you'll rust yourself again. You might need your oilcan with you." She then dried out his tears with a handkerchief before handing him the oilcan and kissing him on the cheek.

"Now I know I've a heart," he stated, wiping his eye with a sniff. "I can feel it breaking." Scootaloo meanwhile gave a tearful hug to the tearful gryphon.

"Bye, Gryphon," she said, tapping his medal with a giggle. "Ya know, with that medal on ya, I'm sure gonna miss your freaking out at everything that moves." Gryphon laughed also through his tears.

"I never would've found my courage if it weren't for you." Apple Bloom meanwhile hugged Pumpkinhead tearfully.

"Out of the three of us," he whimpered, "I think I'll miss you four most of all."

"I'll miss you too," she replied. "Take care, Pumpkinhead." Spike then hugged each of the guys also as they said goodbye. Then the four friends turned to Misty.

"We're ready," Sweetie Belle said, wiping away a stray tear. Spike then placed a hand on her shoulder to show he's ready also, and Misty nodded.

"Just close your eyes," she instructed, "and tap your Gem-Bands three times." The girls close their eyes and tapped their Gem-Bands as instructed. Tink. Tink. Tink.

"And think to yourselves: 'There's no place like home'…'There's no place like home'…"

"There's no place like home," Spike and the girls chanted together. "There's no place like home…There's no place like home…"

They then started to feel like the world is spinning around them, despite their closed eyes. Their bodies became warmer but pleasant…they felt like they're floating. And then…everything went black.

Here's the last one finally. Enjoy!

Ch.21: No Place like Ponyville

"There's no place like home…There's no place like home…There's no place like home…" Sweetie Belle suddenly felt something soft yet damp on her forehead and heard a familiar voice.

"Oh, Sweetie Belle…Darling, please wake up…"

Rarity? Sweetie Belle slowly opened her eyes with fluttering eyelashes to focus her vision. She soon found herself in Rarity's bed in her bedroom, and looking down at her was a worried Rarity, who was dabbing a damp washcloth on her sister's forehead.

"Sweetie Belle, are you alright?" she asked with a hopeful smile. "It's m—"

"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle jumped up to her sister happily and hugged her with tears of joy. "Oh, sis, it's really you! Oh, I've missed you so much!" Rarity smiled in reply before hugging her sister with tears also.

"I've missed you too. I was afraid I'd lost you after we found you unconscious in Fluttershy's cottage. You had quite a bump." There was a sudden flash of light, and the two sisters turn to see Discord standing there, looking worried and relieved at the same time.

"Rare," he cried, "Spike, Apple Bloom, and Spike are awake, so—" He stopped when he saw Sweetie Belle looking up at him and smiled with relief. "Sweetie, you're okay too!" He then went up to her and hugged her affectionately before looking down at her firmly.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again, young lady. We thought we were really gonna lose ya there."

"But I did go somewhere, Discord," Sweetie Belle explained. "The twister blew me, Spike, and the girls off to this magical place outside of Equestria. And we were trying to get back home with some help from—"

"A pumpkin-headed scarecrow, a living motorcycle, and a paranoid gryphon?" Sweetie blinked in reply.

"How did you know?"

"Spike and the girls described the same thing after they woke up." Woke up? Was it all a dream? No, it couldn't have been; it was all real…Right? Thinking that it was real after all, Sweetie Belle smiled.

"Well, all that matters is that we're home," she said before hugging Rarity again. "And Rarity…there's no place like home." Her sister only smiled before returning the hug, obviously too happy that her baby sister has come back to her.