The Revolution of Oz

Chapter Nine: The Gates of the Emerald City

It didn't storm like Bo had suspected it would, but rather, it drizzled lightly throughout the day. Luckily, they group didn't become drenched.

They traveled for only four more days before they got to towns. All throughout the towns were houses of various colors, plenty of vehicles that were both for land and air, and plenty of people.

Word had reached these towns that Dorothy had indeed killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and there were whispers and rumors that she was on her way to the West to kill Maridina, the Wicked Witch of the West and Malideena's sister.

Dorothy and Bo did their best to ignore these rumors and avoid the staring gazes of the townspeople and people who wanted to meet Dorothy. Luav, however, was loving the amount of attention the group was receiving, and was quite disappointed by Bo and Dorothy's avoidance of their little "paparazzi."
The closer they got to the Emerald City, the more road signs and billboards they saw for it, despite the fact that everyone in Oz knew that the yellow brick road did, indeed, lead the way to the Emerald City and that there was no need for any signs or other directions.

Dorothy had grown almost giddy and nervous in anticipation, nearly shaking as she spotted the signs that stated how far away the Emerald City was in exact miles.

Bo was as stoic and serious as ever, however. Dorothy sometimes wondered if he had any emotions at all, but she knew that wasn't possible. He definitely had them, or else he wouldn't have looked so worry when she had been ill from the poison. He just didn't show them very often, she decided. Maybe Bo only displayed his emotions when they were strong, or maybe he only showed certain ones, and she shouldn't be kidding herself like this.

It wasn't any of her business, after all.

They started a new day just like any other-- with breakfast, packing, and walking down the yellow brick road. Except today was the day they would finally, finally reach the Emerald City.

Dorothy would try to get in to see the Wizard, he would reward her for her accidental killing of the Wicked Witch of the East, and she would finally see if she could get back home to Earth.
Back home with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, where she would... She would have, what exactly? Maybe, if she got into contact with them, she would be able to find out. It frustrated Dorothy to no end that she couldn't remember anything about her life before she had woke up from cryosleep on the spaceship.
Dorothy didn't share this fact with anyone. Not Bo, not Luav, not even Toto and Effigy. They wouldn't be able to help her remember her past life, anyway. She would have to unlock those memories on her own. Maybe the Wizard could help her with that. That is, if he was such a miracle worker that all the Munchkins and Glinda had claimed he would be.

"One mile, Gale," Bo told her, pointing out one of the billboards.

She looked up quickly. She had been so lost in thought that she had been staring at her silver boots and the yellow bricks as she had walked. She grinned at Bo.

"Finally," she sighed happily.

Bo nodded as he adjusted his backpack a little. "Hopefully, we can find a decent place to stay while we're there. My back is killing me from sleeping on the ground all the time."

She nodded, looking up at their surroundings. It was all clear field here, no houses, no people. But, just in the distance, she could see green skyscrapers peeking out from the horizon. She blinked through the bright sunlight at them and smiled.

Luav purred in excitement. "Hopefully, I can get a decent grooming for my mane. It's full of leaves, and it probably has bugs in it, too."

"I thought you wanted to go to Oz for your own self-improvement, not vanity," Bo commented dryly.