Chapter 9: The Merry Old Land of Oz

After a long trek and the near miss with the poppies, the gang was finally within a stone's throw of the Emerald City and walked up to the gate.
You're out of the dark!
You're out of the night!
Step into the sun!
Step into the light!
March onto the gate
And bid it open!
Open...
By the door there was a long rope bell, and they rang it as a stallion with black hair and a white coat came up. He was dressed in a blue and yellow uniform.
"Who rang that bell?!" The figure asked angrily.
"We did!" The group remarked.
"Can't you read?!" The doorstallion asked angrily.
"Read what?" Scarecrow asked.
"The notice!" The doorstallion insisted.
"What notice?" The group asked again.
"It's on the door." The doorstallion said. "Plan as the nose on my-"
He glimpsed at the door as the note wasn't there and he quickly went back in and slapped the notice onto the door.
"'Bell out of order. Please knock.'" The group read as they then knocked on the door.
"Well, that's more like it." The doorstallion said. "Now state your business."
"We wanna see the Wizard." The group explained.
"The Wizard?" The doorstallion asked alarmed. "The Wizard?! But no one can see the Great Oz! No one has ever seen the Great Oz! Even I've never seen her!"
"Then how d'ya know there is one?" Applebloom asked.
"Because she's in my..." The doorstallion began before he stopped himself and groaned. "You're wasting my time!"
"Oh please, please sir." Applebloom pleaded. "I've gotta see the Wizard. The Good Witch of the North sent me."
"Prove it." The doorstallion said with a suspicious glare.
"She's wearin' the Ruby Slippers she gave her." Scarecrow responded as the doorman looked down and saw the slippers.
"Well so she is." The doorstallion responded, much friendlier. "Well bust my buttons! Why didn't you say so in the first place? That's a horse of a different color! Come on in!"
They headed into the city and saw that everything in the city was colored green, right down to the clothes, to match the emeralds.
"Cabby!" A mare with a wild white mane cut in a blue and yellow outfit called out. "Cabby! Just what you're looking for! Take you anyplace in the city, we do!"
"If ya please, we wanna see the Wizard." Applebloom explained.
"The Wizard?" The cabby asked in shock. "The Wizard?! Well I uh... Yes, of course! But first I'll take you to a place where you can tidy up a bit, eh?"
"Oh, thank you so much!" Kara said excitedly. "We've been gone such a long time, and we feel so messy."
They then headed out with a good chuckle that seemed to come from the city and spread through it.
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!
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 cabby led them to a beauty parlor.
We get up and twelve
And start to work at one!
Take an hour for lunch
And then at two we're done!
Jolly good fun!
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!
Ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho!
And a couple of tra-la-las!
That's how we laugh the day away
With a ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho!
In the merry old Land of Oz!
At the parlor, several people were restuffing Scarecrow for some of the straw that had fallen out during the journey and also giving him a bit extra for endurance.
Pat-pat here. Pat-pat there.
And a couple of brand new straws.
That's how we keep you young and fair
In the merry old Land of Oz!
Meanwhile, Tin Mare was getting scrubbed and polished to make her metal body shine.
Rub-rub here. Rub-rub there.
Whether you're tin or bronze.
That's how we keep you in repair
In the merry old Land of Oz.
Applebloom meanwhile was being attended to by several spa workers who curled her hair and made her look very regal indeed.
We can make a dimple smile
Out of a frown.
"Can ya even dye my eyes to match my gown?" Applebloom asked.
"Mm-hm." The workers said.
"Jolly ol' town!" Applebloom called out as Lion was getting a trim all over her body.
Clip-Clip here. Clip-clip there.
We give the roughest claws...
"That certain air of savoir faire in the merry old Land of Oz." Lion finished.
"Ha-ha-ha!" Scarecrow laughed as he saw Lion's pedicure.
"Ho-ho-ho!" Tin Mare chuckled at Lion's manicure.
"Ah-ha-ha-ha!" Applebloom laughed at Lion's new cape.
"Ha." Lion replied good naturedly.
That's how we laugh the day away
In the merry old Land of Oz!
That's how we laugh the day away
With a ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho!
In the merry old Land of Oz!
They continued to laugh together when in the sky they saw black smoke billowing from a distant object and very familiar laughter.
"Who's she?" Lion asked nervously. "Who's she?"
"The witch!" Applebloom said even more nervously. "She's followed us here!"
Just then, Nightmare Moon left leaving a billowing bit of sky-writing that read in uneven letters...
Surrender Applebloom!
"Applebloom?!" A citizen asked. "Who's Applebloom?!"
"The Wizard will explain it!" Another citizen responded.
"The Wizard!" Yet another citizen called out as they all headed off.
"Oh dear!" Applebloom gulped. "Whatever shall we do?!"
"Well we better hurry if we're gonna see the Wizard!" Scarecrow said quickly and plainly.
With that, the group rushed off.

Oh boy. Just when they think they're safe, Nightmare Moon attacks.