FicWad

Lion: I tried my best to adapt it to a parody but this character's backstory was so awesome in the book I really wanted to make this as good as possible even if this is supposed to be funny.

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Rangiku twirled her magic wand as the image of Rukia and Renji appeared on a small bubble. The Good Witch held a soft smile at this through the bubble before it popped. She then turned over to her short companion sitting in her magic room.

"All right Toshiro, now we'll get to the matter of helping Ms. Rukia on her journey."

"Um, Rangiku why am I here again?" Toshiro asked crossing his arms. Rangiku looked at him with a plex look while removing her hat.

"Why? Well I need you to help me out with my errands of course! Plus I wanted your company with me you know? And who better to help me out then the best Munchkin in Munchkinland!" Rangiku told her white headed friend. Toshiro scratched his cheek.

"Don't you mean half Munchkin?"

"Tomato, potato Toshiro. You're still the best man to help me out with my errands." Rangiku told Toshiro patting his head. He sighed submitting to the Good Witch defeated.

Sure Toshiro was the only Munchkin who wasn't afraid of the Wicked Witches and the only one who ever ventured out of the Munchkin's country but he was still unsure why Rangiku would just whisk him off like this. But no one really knew what went on in the head of the Good Witch of the South or what she planned to do but Toshiro did knew if he disobey all would be clear in due time.

Meanwhile just some ways away from the cornfields of Munchkinland and the Yellow Brick Road, Rukia, Chappy the Rabbit, and the Scarecrow Renji continued onwards towards the Emerald City. Having evaded those vengeful crows the two took to some conversation.

"... and then when the farmer saw all the crows eating the crops he just left me there. You know I don't think he was coming back for me."

"You don't say." Rukia said before yawning. Chappy rested himself sitting atop her basket comfortably lulled by the calm voices of the two.

"Hey I bet this Wizard is really awesome! He's probably got loads of spells and good stuff for us! And my brain too!"

"Say how do you know about spells if you don't have a brain?" Rukia lightly joked. Though Renji answered back honestly.

"Oh the farmer always spoke about people with magic and spells like a witch with blond hair. Hey maybe she works for that wizard!"

"A blonde witch..." Rukia had a feeling just who that was when her attention was grabbed by a fork in the road. The yellow brick road seemed to go in different directions and one only led to their right destination.

"Well this is weird. Which way do we go?" Rukia asked. The scarecrow scratched his quilt head glancing both ways.

"Well I bet some would go that way," Renji pointed at the left. "...and I bet some people go this way," Renji then pointed right. "...and that means some people go both ways!"

Renji had both of his arms crossed with both hands pointed left and right. Rukia blinked while a bead of sweat fell down her head.

"I don't know what that means."

The two later rested having decided to go left and prepared for the night as the day closed onto them. It was all strange for Rukia having met two witches, munchkins, and a talking scarecrow in the last twenty four hours.

Renji sat up against a tree trunk across from Rukia who curled to herself with a small blanket. Chappy was curled up into a ball with Rukia ready for sleep rubbing his furry head to her side.

"Hey Rukia what are you doing?" Renji asked to which the girl glanced at him curiously.

"What? I'm preparing to go to bed. Y'know so I can rest up till tomorrow."

"Sleep?" Renji's head tilted. "Oh is that a human thing?"

"Yeah... wait you don't know what sleeping is?" Rukia asked.

"No, I've heard of it. The farmer and his wife did that when the dark came. I don't do it though. Sounds kinda dull."

"You don't sleep!?" Rukia exclaimed. though Renji didn't seem surprised at all.

"Nope. It's kind of boring if you ask me. So I don't do it. Or maybe I can't. I never really figured it out." Renji held his hands up with a grin.

Rukia couldn't understand where all this optimism came from. Sure Renji cared somewhat about having a brain but everything else didn't seem to bother him a bit.

But the girl didn't argue why Renji could not sleep and bid him a good night before a soft tune began her eyes closed. The scarecrow sat for a while before a soft tune began to come to him from the wind and he began a whistle. Rukia had an eye opened for this as Renji continued the relaxing tune.

How can he whistle without a brain I wonder?

The next morning Rukia awoke to the sound of birds chirping and soft sunlight. Chappy was rolled onto the soft grass waking from his slumber while Renji stood by watching the two.

"Morning Renji." Rukia said stretching her arms.

"What? Yeah it's morning Rukia."

Rukia stopped and recalled back to how odd her newest companion was a bit on the straight forward side. She then stood up folding up her blanket back into her basket while scooping Chappy back into her arms. Then turning to Renji she asked if he could eat to which he replied that it never crossed his mind. But there was something else the scarecrow wanted to mention.

"Oh yeah Rukia while you were sleeping I took a walk down the hill over there and saw a weird person on his side."

Rukia blinked turning to Renji. "A person?"

"Actually he didn't look too good. He was sort of moaning like he was in trouble."

"What!?" Rukia screamed. "Renji why didn't you do something!?"

"You know maybe I should have. But you're the leader here so I thought I'd let you know first."

Rukia wasted no time getting up and walking over to the spot the Scarecrow had mentioned. True to his words just over the hill was what looked to be a body of armor just lying on it's side. the young girl then ran over pushing the person onto their back revealing to Rukia the clear silver colored body which rather more looked like a statue than armor.

"What the... what is he Renji?" Rukia asked while the scarecrow shrugged.

"Dunno. I've only been alive one week remember? Still... I don't think there's others like him around Munchkinland at least from what I've seen."

Rukia looked over the silver persons body noticing even his clothes were also the same color. Whoever he was this would be another on Rukia's list of odd folks she'd met already on her odd journey.

"Help..." Rukia blinked and then looked down at the silver man's face. His lips weren't moving but she'd sworn she'd heard something.

"Help... me!"

"Ah! You can talk!" Rukia jumped back pointing at the silver man.

"Oh hello there! Good morning!" Renji told the silver man with a gentle salute.

"Renji! He can't move at all, he needs our help!" Rukia tried to inform the oblivious scarecrow of the situation.

The Silverman continued making some noises and also slightly moving his still body side to side. Rukia bit her nails thinking how she could help the poor man when Renji then snapped his fingers.

"Wait a minute maybe this thing can help!" The scarecrow reached into his pocket and out from it pulled a small bronze oil can.

"Where'd you get that?" Rukia asked.

"Oh I found it right where we were camped for the night. I found it under my bottom where I sat and kept it with me incase we needed it for something." Renji said smiling.

"Did it occur to you that it could've helped when you found this man in the first place?"

Renji held a blank stare while Rukia sighed. She then took the oil can and then began to add several droplets where she guessed would help the silver man if she was correct. Chappy stood by Renji wondering what his owner was up to and where the heck breakfast was. But then much to the three's shock the strange silver person sat up with a start.

"Ah! I'm alive!"

Rukia fell backwards while Renji gasped.

"It does talk!"

"Right you are-ah! A talking scarecrow!" The silver man leaped back pointing an accusing finger at Renji who scratched his head.

"Then silver people are normal?" Renji asked to which the odd man shook his head to him.

"No not silver, I'm made of tin. But you can call me Ginjo, Ginjo Kugo the Tin man." The Tin man formally introduced himself with a bow.

"A... tin man?" Rukia repeated somewhat startled.

"Yes, well a Tin person to be exact. I've somewhat adjusted save my joints rusting and me getting stuck out here. But I should thank you to for saving me! How's about a cup of tea?"

"Oh I would! I haven't even had breakfast yet!" Rukia beamed with Chappy.

"I don't eat." Renji told Ginjo while the Tin Man laughed.

Later on the wood cutter made of tin Ginjo brought Rukia and Renji to his wood cottage just down the road near the woods. He prepared tea and some treats for Rukia and Chappy while Renji glanced around looking at some of the many wonders of Ginjo's home.

"I cannot thank you two enough for saving me. If you hadn't I'd probably be stuck like that forever." Ginjo told Rukia who sipped her tea politely.

"It's no problem Ginjo. But how'd you end up stuck like you were?" Rukia asked.

"Oh. Well I was chopping up wood you see when suddenly it began to rain. That's not good for my joints you see and I'd forgotten my coat to protect me, so the rain poured and before I could make it to cover I was rusted good. One whole week I was stuck till you two came along."

"A whole week!?" Rukia exclaimed. "No way!"

"Well it happens." Ginjo waved off Rukia while patting Chappy's chubby head.

"Whoa! What's this thing?" Renji held up a random item for Ginjo and Rukia to see suddenly.

"That's a mug."

"I've never seen one before! Cool." Renji then held up the mug peeking inside of it smiling.

Ginjo raised a brow. "I see..."

"He's only a week old so he doesn't know much." Rukia commented while the Tin Man nodded. Ginjo then set down another pot of tea for Rukia and took a seat himself.

"Well you two are both an odd bunch. But what were you both doing out here anyhow?"

"We're off to see the Wizard! The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!"Renji exclaimed putting the mug down while then noticing a pantry and wandered over to glance in all it's glory. Ginjo's brow was raised further.

"The Wizard of... Oz? You're going to meet him?"

"Yeah. Why is that surprising?" Rukia asked Ginjo as she ate a piece of one of the treats he had. Chappy meanwhile poked his head into the teapot.

"Well... no one really knows much about the Wizard. They say he's the Great and Powerful ruler of Oz, but he's secretive. Lives in the Emerald City governing everybody else across the Land but no one ever see's him."

"Really? But the Good Witch told me if I went to the Emerald City I'd get his help." Rukia told Ginjo who then glanced at her with widened eyes.

"Good Witch!? Wait which Good Witch do you mean? The North or the South Witch!?"

Rukia arched her brow thinking back. "Uh... The Good Witch of the North I think. Her name was Rangiku."

Then Ginjo jumped back from his chair. "Matsumoto Rangiku! The Good Witch of the North, known for her grace and kindness to all the people of Oz, she's not only Good but very beautiful!"

"Yeah, you know who she is then?" Rukia asked while Ginjo sat back up.

"Once. When Matsumoto first was granted the title of Good Witch of the North she came to these parts to meet the common folk. I and my wife were able to take a glance at her. And that was ten years ago, they say she hasn't aged a day!" Ginjo reminisced. Then suddenly a loud crash was heard from the pantry. Rukia and Ginjo's heads turned noticing Renji having fallen out along wit boxes and a hat on his head.

"Hey Ginjo, what do you call this thing on my head?" The Scarecrow asked.

"It's a straw hat. You know, for the fields and such."

Renji awed at the article on his head amazed. Ginjo waved it off allowing the Scarecrow to keep it as a gift since he never wore it anymore. The tin man walked over to shove the things back into the pantry when Rukia's eye caught the sight of a small picture frame on the ground near the two. She got up and walked over lifting it up and then saw the picture of what looked to be a young dark haired woman smiling.

Who's this? Rukia wondered when Ginjo noticed the photo she was holding.

"Oh Rukia, could you hand that over? I should put it back in the pantry." Ginjo held his hand out to receive it. Rukia looked up at Ginjo and handed it over to him where he then walked back into his pantry and placed it back in.

"Who is she Mr. Ginjo?" Rukia asked curiously. Ginjo inside of the pantry paused as he set it above over his other assorted things.

"My wife. Ikumi."

"Oh." Rukia said silently wondering if she may have been treading too personally. Renji though stood up and without hesitation asked his question.

"Really, where is she Ginjo? She looked pretty from her picture."

"She's gone. She left me."

Rukia stepped back a bit knowing now they'd prided too much. Renji blinked though not totally grasping the situation while Ginjo stepped out of the pantry and shut the door behind him.

"You're thinking that you've overstepped your boundaries aren't you? But it's fine no harm done." Ginjo told Rukia patting her head softly.

"Oh I don't think at all Ginjo I don't have a brain. That's why we're gonna see the Wizard!" Renji told the Tin man with a big grin.

"Really, you think the Wizard can give you a brain?" Ginjo asked to which Renji nodded his head several times.

"Of course! After all he knows al kinds of magic so that means he can grant me my wish right?"

Ginjo held a blank stare returning to the table taking a seat. Rukia looked over at the Tin man who held his head low. Chappy glanced up at the gracious host wondering what was wrong with him before he spoke.

"Well those that can use magic certainly have the ability to take away things, maybe they can give them back too."

"What do you mean?" Rukia stepped over sitting across from Ginjo who raised his head.

"I wasn't always a Tin man you know. I was once a normal man, I lived with my wife here in this cottage working for honest labor cutting wood for Munchkins and passing folk. But then everything changed when I had an accident."

"An accident?" Rukia said concerned while Ginjo nodded.

"I was cutting wood for the winter one day when suddenly a giant tree fell upon me crushing my body. Ikumi found me and brought me to the town to get help but my body was in shambles. I wouldn't be able to walk or work again. That's when he appeared."

Rukia's brow raised. "He?"

"A doctor. No one had ever heard of him before. He came from the Emerald City some said, appeared to me and my wife and offered us a solution. If Ikumi became his servant he would restore my body into Tin coated metal. And we agreed but at a price."

Renji himself glanced over at Ginjo who's blank expression remained when he spoke.

"My body was restored to Tin, but my heart was taken out."

Rukia gasped covering her mouth while Chappy rolled over onto his belly. Renji scratched the side of his head mumbling something while Ginjo's fist clenched.

"Because my heart was taken I do not have any emotions. I felt nothing when the Doctor took Ikumi chan from me. No pain, sadness, regret, I felt nothing at all."

"Ginjo..." Rukia held her hands together in her lap saddened. Ginjo noticed this and patted her shoulder.

"Hey don't feel bad. I don't feel anything at all. Besides what's it worth feeling bad for a person you just met-"

"But it's terrible! Not to have a heart, and your wife too!" Rukia nearly yelled out to Ginjo's shock. Rukia's eyes were strong and bold, something Ginjo remembered about his own wife. They were tough.

"Rukia chan, I don't have my heart anymore. What good would it do for me if Ikumi had a husband who didn't have the heart to love her like I did before? Some things like that happen and you can't change that. I've adjusted and moved on."

"But... but..." Rukia mumbled.

Then in the most odd fashion Renji, having stood at the sidelines, then clapped his hands together with a genius grin. "Wait I've got it!"

Rukia glanced at the scarecrow. "Got what Renji?"

"We'll take Ginjo with us! The Wizard will give him a heart!"

Ginjo stood up from his chair. "Wait hold on, I don't th-"

"Renji! That's a great idea! If the Wizard can give you back your heart you'll love Ikumi again and she'll come back to you!"

Ginjo stood back from Rukia who smiled up at him. "I don't know... do you really believe the Wizard has that power? Even magic from what I've seen has limits."

"I didn't believe in magic or witches or talking scarecrows until yesterday. None of that exists back home. But I've seen it all here in Oz, so why not have faith that it can happen?" Rukia told Ginjo, her big purple eyes shining hopefully.

The Tin Man glanced to Renji who patted him on the back. "Hey I'm going to see the Wizard to get myself a brain like I always wanted. If he can give me that then he can give you a heart right?"

Ginjo sighed. He thought back to his wife Ikumi. he remembered the way she smiled when they were both together, the happy times they shared happily married. The Tin Man couldn't feel the emotions again but remembered how happy Ikumi looked when she smiled for him.

"Well... I guess I'll have to have faith then."

And so sometime after finishing breakfast Ginjo Kugo joined Rukia and Renji out for their adventure. Right before though Ginjo instructed Rukia to gather whatever supplied or items she would need further on their journey and the young girl took to packing some more food and treats for her basket. Ginjo himself, being a man of tin and a simple man to begin with, only gathered his woodcutter, his lucky cloak, and his faithful oil can which he refilled with more oil.

Turning out from his cottage Ginjo prepared to leave when he suddenly remembered something else. The Tin Man glanced back to the pantry for a moment wondering if he should bother with the last item when his own legs carried him over towards it. He then trotted inside of the pantry and reached for the picture of Ikumi and held it in his hands for a moment glancing over it.

Ikumi was smiling in the picture. A memory of the days before he lost his heart. Just a memory now, a memory of the love they shared.

Without another word, Ginjo put the picture into his cloak pocket and walked outside grabbing another cloak and a small coat from the pantry before he faced both Renji and Rukia who waited for him.

"Are you ready to go now?" Rukia asked with a bright smile to which Ginjo nodded.

"Right. Oh, take this Rukia." Ginjo threw the small coat towards Rukia who caught it and the second cloak at Renji. The two held their new cloth wear up while Ginjo huffed his chest.

"It might be a little big on you Rukia but it'll keep you warm like it should."

"Thanks Ginjo." Rukia bowed her head respectfully.

"Awesome! This'll be my second souvenir ever! I'll keep my hat in a pocket with it!" Renji said holding up the same hat the Tin Man had given him.

He actually kept it? Rukia wondered before laughing happily. Ginjo had a smirk glancing at his new traveling companions before reaching for his "woodcutter" placed at the side of the house. Rukia's eyes then bulged as the Tin Man lifted the heavy item onto his shoulder.

"Alright then, let's go the Emerald City!"

"Ginjo why do you have a giant Claymore!?" Rukia exclaimed pointing a finger at the Tin Man.

"Isn't that his woodcutter Rukia? All woodmen have those to cut down trees." Renji informed though he himself not knowing what a claymore was.

"Actually Renji I'm one in a long line of woodmen that cut down trees with a broadsword. Everyone else uses axes but my family's done this for generations. I'll take it with us in case we need it." Ginjo informed Renji strolling ahead of the Scarecrow and Rukia who glanced at his back.

"Ah. Nothing is always as it seems here." Rukia said aloud but then smiled. "Well Renji, you ready too?"

"You bet! We're off to see the Wizard!" Renji held up and arm following behind Ginjo. Rukia smiled holding Chappy up and following them both.

Ginjo thought back to Ikumi remembering how her smile was before. He was determined to see it again.

Well... we're off! I'll see you soon Ikumi.

...See ya later Tin Woodman!

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Lion: Like I said the Tin Man's story I think was most tragic when it came to the story of Oz and all of Dorothy's companion's so adapting it to a parody was hard for me. I did take my own spin on things though and that'll play out later on but at the moment it's a mystery.
*]
[*PS: I was actually listening to the Love Hina Opening Song near the end so I kind of had this bubbly upbeat adventure in my head which was weird transitioning from Ginjo's backstory here. But I guess in the end I want this to be a fun adventure for me like when I first discovered fanfiction, back when I didn't know much about it and all the new stories I'd find were awesome. But anyways, till next time when the third friend joins the gang!