FicWad

Lion: Now I've actually watched Oz: The Great and Powerful for myself. And honestly I loved the movie, especially if you're an Oz fan you'll get a lot of the references and homages they pay to the MGM film and the books. Even one of the characters of the Wizard of Oz makes a slight cameo in one scene (it's actually confirmed it was him, I won't say who he was you have to watch it yourself to find out!).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rukia stumbled back into her house to get breakfast with Chappy while the Munchkins kept their eyes carefully on her mansion outside. The young girl prepared herself breakfast from the food available in Byakuya's refrigerator and ate a practical feast at the dining table all to herself. Though Rukia sighed letting her thoughts all sink in.

"This is a weird place. I doubt if it was a dream but... what do you think Chappy?" Rukia turned to a spot on the dining table where the white rabbit sat atop. He continued chewing on a bit of cabbage Rukia had found and remained silent.

"No reply huh Rukia?"

Jumping around Rukia flew out of her chair in a dainty pose. The Good Witch of the North was standing in her home smiling while waving a hand.

"How's it going? Haven't left yet I see."

"Rangiku what the-don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Ooops. Sorry Rukia. I just had to drop by again though. To give you a gift." Rangiku said before spotting the large spread of food. Rukia nodded while the Good Witch immediately took to trying some of the spread.

Chappy noticed the Good Witch and blinked as she tried some of the various food available. Strangely Rangiku was able to keep herself still looking very graceful even as she ate the food sloppily. Nonetheless not a tear of meat, a drop of juice, or a crumb of food dropped when the Good Witch of the North finally finished her meal with a satisfied sigh.

"Had your fill?" Rukia asked.

"Oh yes! That was really good stuff, better than the food at my castle!" Rangiku twirled a toothpick with a grin.

"I see..." Rukia said finishing a rice ball.

Chappy finished his carrot and rolled onto his side. Rangiku then scratched his fuzzy belly before spotting a rice ball and eagerly taking a few bites. Rukia drummed her fingers on the table before speaking up.

"So... was there anything you needed to tell me, oh Good Witch?"

"Oh right! Sorry I almost forgot, I need to give you one more gift." Rangiku sat up walking from her seat and stood in front of Rukia. The raven haired girl blinked before Rangiku bent her head down placing a kiss straight onto Rukia's forehead.

Rukia blinked and then jumped back away waving her arms out. "W-What the heck was that for!?"

"That was my Kiss of Protection. I forgot to give it you before I left so now you have it." Rangiku said smiling brightly.

Rukia rubbed her forehead. "How's a kiss gonna protect me?"

"Oh it's my magic. Didn't I tell you the magic of a Good Witch is quite strong? It'll be a bonus along with those silver slippers. Wearing them will also protect you and let other folks of Oz know the Wicked Witch of the East is defeated!"

Rukia then glanced to said silver slippers seated on the ground. She hadn't put them on yet but now wondered what was so important about them. Aside from a mesmerizing beauty they looked like any average slippers to the human.

"Hey Rangiku, why are these slippers so important anyway?"

Rangiku glanced at the girl and then to the slippers. "Well they contain much of Cirucci Thunderwitch's power within them. But in the right hands I know they can restore all the damage she has caused to Oz."

Rukia still wasn't sure what to think but just decided to leave it at that. After all with things like witches, Munchkins, and magic who was she to question how it all worked in this strange place?

Rangiku then sat up and made her way to leave while using her want to lift up the empty plates and utensils to the kitchen. Chappy himself was mesmerized seeing the floating objects when he was lifted in the air before being placed in Rangiku's arms.

"Well Rukia, this time I'm off. You should prepare yourself for your long journey y'now. Pack a few things."

Rukia sighed. "Right... then I'll get ready. Maybe put on a good dress to wear."

It was then Rangiku's expression changed and she snapped her fingers. "Oh let me take care of that! Fashion's my strong point!"

Before Rukia uttered a word Rangiku twirled her wand and made a pink cloud surround the young girl. Then it poofed with magic and before she realized it Rukia was standing there in a blue and white checkered pattern sundress with a red bow tied around her neck and silver slippers on her feet.

"What... what happened?" Rukia asked while Rangiku gushed at her work.

"Oh you look so adorable! Like a little doll!"

Rukia then noticed her attire change and spun around to get a good glance. She held a blank stare at the Good Witch.

"I'm not a doll."

Later~

Rukia finally departed with her home-ensured by Rangiku that the Munchkins would take good care of it-now ready to set off towards the Great Emerald City where she would hope to find the Wizard. She strolled on the Yellow Brick Road in her new clothes and also carried a basket of regular food stuffs and whatnot while Chappy sat in the hook of her left arm. She continued making her way while muttering to herself on the whole situation.

"Darn witch, so weird, I don't get her at all." Rukia rubbed her forehead again where Rangiku placed the kiss.

A Witch's magic is Powerful! That Kiss will protect you on your journey!

"I still don't get how a kiss will protect me." Rukia sighed. Chappy remained quite content with not walking himself in the girl's arm.

As they walked down the Yellow Brick road they passed by a small area of what look to be a large corn field. It was rather large going for miles only stopping at the edge where the Yellow Brick road was built and fenced off by a small wooden railing. Rukia had noticed the large field and wondered if this was still part of the Munchkin country when a faint noise caught her attention.

"Hey... get off me you darn crows! Knock it off!"

Chappy's head rose detecting this while Rukia stopped. Her head turned into the corn fields where the noise sounded best. Just further inwards was the sight of several large black crows all gathered together. To Rukia they looked like they were gathered for food or pecking at a single object.

"Damn! Hey anybody! He-Help!"

"It's a person!" Rukia quickly leaped over the fence and dashed into the field of corn running through towards the spot of the crows. She then faced a clearing where a large mass of them were gathered cawing and pecking at a single spot next to a wooden post.

Thinking quickly Rukia put her basket down and grabbed a stick and began shooing off the crows. The birds didn't stop until the girl then swung madly at them before they all got the message. "Get back! Get back!"

Before the girl knew it all the blackbirds were gone flying off leaving her with the other stranger. Dropping the stick Rukia turned to face the person only to double back in shock. Lying on the ground was definitely a humanoid form but merely a dressed body made of straw and potato sacks. She blinked not sure of what to make of this when the straw beings head lifted up.

"Oh man... all my straw's falling out. Hey girl can you help me out here?" the being asked while Rukia blinked several times making sure she wasn't seeing things.

"Y-Y-You're a Scarecrow?"

"Yeah, obviously. Now can ya be a dear and patch me up?" The Scarecrow asked making a sitting position. His stomach and left arm were torn open leaving much of his straw pouring out onto the ground and his farmers clothes put on him were torn. Rukia sat next to the Scarecrow gathering bits in her hands quickly.

"Sorry. I'm not used to seeing Scarecrows talk you know." Rukia said shoving in much of the straw into the necessary places. Chappy too helped patting in some of the straw with his little white fuzzy paws.

"Oh, well don't be too surprised. I'm the only Scarecrow here that can talk in these parts." The Scarecrow said while pulling out several pieces of sewing and needles from a pouch on the end of his side holding them over to Rukia. "If you can sew up my parts I'd greatly appreciate it miss."

"R-right. I'll get to it then... um, say do you have a name?" Rukia asked starting to mend his stomach first. The scarecrow lowered down his hat revealing to Rukia long bright red long quilt shaped like a spiked pineapple. She wasn't sure but it must've taken a good craftsman to make such realistic looking hair from quilt to hold it's shape.

"My maker called me Renji. Abarai Renji. Though I don't know what it means." The scarecrow dubbed Renji said as Rukia finished up sewing his stomach together. She then went to fixing his arm quick with her sewing when Chappy took a seat atop Renji's foot.

"I see. Then, you were just a scarecrow then, made by a farmer?"

"Yeah. Just a week ago a Munchkin made me to scare off crows so they wouldn't take his crops. But you know that hasn't worked and the crows just attack me. So he left me in the cornfield to make another Scarecrow. And then I met you." Renji said sighing. Rukia blinked at Renji.

"Wow, I'm sorry Renji."

"Ah don't be girl. After all now that I'm not with the farmer I can do what I want with no one to boss me around!" Renji said fisting his other hand with a grin.

"Ha... so you're an optimistic scarecrow then." Rukia said smiling. Renji turned to Rukia turning his head to the side.

"Optimistic? What's that mean?"

Rukia stopped looking back to the scarecrow. "Huh, oh well it means..." Rukia put a tiny fist to her chin thinking it over in her head before smiling and clasping her hands together. "It means you take things as they come by! Like you say 'The Glass is half full!' or something like that."

The Scarecrow nodded. "Oh I get it. Wow it must be great to have a brain to know that then."

Rukia blinked. "What? Yeah I have a brain. Well, do you? I mean you can talk so..."

Renji shook his head. "Naw I don't have a brain. I just sort of started talking and the Farmer that made me was surprised. I guess most Scarecrows don't talk."

Rukia shook her head. "I guess. But nothing makes sense in this place."

The dark haired girl finished the last stitch successfully attaching Renji's arm back together much to the red headed scarecrows delight. He then stood up motioning his left arm several times while taking a few steps. Rukia then realized that this scarecrow was actually some feet much taller than she standing high and tall.

"Ah thanks girl! Oh I didn't get your name either."

"Oh it's Rukia. Kuchiki Rukia." Rukia said a bit timidly. Renji bowed respectfully.

"Well thank you Ms. Rukia. Now I'd best be going off... somewhere." Renji put his hat back on and turned into a random direction going silent. Rukia tilted her head at the scarecrow before he turned back around.

"Say you know I don't really know where to go. If I had a brain I bet I'd know which way I should be headed."

Rukia scratched her cheek. "Well I don't know if you want to go back to that farmer, but I'm headed to the Emerald City. If you want you can tag along."

The scarecrow's sewed on brows rose as he grinned. "Really! Oh wow if I go with you then I'll have a place to go!"

"Or maybe you can get a brain at the Emerald City." Rukia lightly joked with a nervous smile. Renji though taking it serious-his reason might be that he hadn't a brain to figure out sarcasm- grabbed Rukia by her shoulders.

"Really!? Then I'll definitely go with you to the Emerald City! I'll get a brain there!"

"Uh wait Renji, I'm just going to see the Wizard so he can-" Before Rukia could finish Renji turned around with a shocked glance.

"What-the Wizard! You're going to meet the Wizard?"

"Uh-yeah. I was going to ask him if he could help me get back home. See I'm not from Oz and have people back home who I know are worried about me." Rukia explained to the Scarecrow. Renji held a hand in his chin closing his eyes and thinking-once again he'd argue not-before speaking.

"Even being alive for only a week I have heard of the Wizard. His magic is supposed to be so great that he can create miracles. And if he can get you to your home then he can definitely do an easy thing like giving me a brain!" Renji raised his arms into the air. "Yosha! I'll go with you t meet the Wonderful Wizard Rukia! Just lead the way!"

Rukia giggled at this. "Well you're not an ordinary scarecrow, alright. Then let's go Renji."

The scarecrow nodded giving a thumbs up to Rukia and a best grin. Chappy himself blinked at the tall funny person not sure what to really make of him, but to the rabbit he was kinda funny that way.

The calm situation then changed as the loud shrill call of crows was heard by the two. Renji and Rukia glanced back to the sky spotting much to their horror a large body of the blackbirds swarming over the corn fields.

"Oh darn! It's those crows again, their back for revenge!"

"What! Why would they want revenge!?" Rukia said surprised.

"Because you attacked them! Whenever I tried to scare them away from the crops they always brought more of their friends to rip me apart. Now they're mad at you."

"Ah! I didn't know about that!" Rukia screamed grabbing Chappy and her basket. She and Renji wasted no time dashing out of the corn field away from the approaching group of vengeful winged beasts.

The two then busted out from the cornfield onto the Yellow Brick Road and made a mad dash down it to avoid their pursuers. They ran frantically with Rukia's slippers clicking on the stone of the road and Renji dashing with bits of straw flying off of him to keep up. Though certainly not how she wanted to begin her journey Rukia at least could say she did make a new friend.

Abarai Renji, the scarecrow who wanted a brain, the first companion.

...See ya later Scarecrow!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lion: Fun fact time! The scene with Rangiku coming back to give Rukia the Kiss of Protection and Rangiku's forgetfulness of it was pretty much what I was thinking when I typed the chapter. You see in the book the Good Witch gives Dorothy a kiss of protection for her travels in Oz but I had forgotten to include this in Chapter 2 and added it in quick in this chapter to rectify this.
*]
[*Also it's funny you should know but I didn't actually know the definition of what "Optimistic" mean I just felt what it meant. So I had to look it up and then put it in for Rukia to explain. In a way it worked for Renji being the scarecrow without a brain and his motivation for joining Rukia. I liked how it worked out for him and now Rukia has another speaking companion along for the ride.