[FANFICTION]

Ro rubbed her head. Where in the world was she now? She found herself sitting in a jungle-like area. She walked down the way to see men and women with tie- dyed shirts and peace sign medallions. "Where am I?"

"Dude, you're in the Hippie Pad," one guy with long brown hair said, stepping up to her and giving her a peace sign.

"Are you by any chance a spacie?"

"Woah, she's a mind reader! Come check it out, you guys."

"Excuse me, but how do I get out of here?"

"Only the Scientist of OZ can help you."

"How do I get to where he is?"

"Follow the Yellow Brick Road, baby." Ro saw the golden brick road spiraling out of the Spacies' paradise and out onto a long road.

"Come on, feet. Let's start walking. You've got to get back where Zee is before he gets himself caught."

Ro walked down the yellow brick road. If this was the only way to get back to Zee then she guessed she had to go back down the road. She walked down the road to find a scarecrow hanging off his post.

"Help me!"

"Who said that?"

"Me." It sounded like he couldn’t open his mouth. She looked around before she saw the scarecrow move. "Please help me!"

"Hold up. Bucky what are you doing here?"

"My name isn't Bucky." Ro sighed, climbing up on the fence. She climbed over the fence and jumped down. She slipped his hands out of the rings that held him up. He fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

"Oh, are you okay?"

"Please can you unstitch my mouth?" He said mumbling. She wondered if it was wise to do this. She unstitched his mouth none-the-less. He gasped, breathing in air.

"Are you alright?" she asked, helping him up. He smiled and nodded.

"Oh yeah. Thanks for unstitching my mouth and getting me down from there. I was starting to believe no one would ever help me down."

"You're welcome. Do you know where the great Scientist of OZ might be?"

"Sorry, I can't help you," he said, brushing himself off and fixing his straw.

"Why not?" she yelled, glaring at the scarecrow that resembled Bucky.

"Because I don't have a brain."

"You’re a genius though."

"Thank you for your kind words but I don't have a brain. See?" He lifted his hat to show her his head. She gasped, seeing his head was filled with straw.

"Well, if the Scientist of OZ can get me back to Earth maybe he can give you a brain."

"Oh, wow! What an intelligent idea!" Ro laughed. He sounded almost as clueless as Zee.

"Come on, let's go."

Ro and the Scarecrow made their way down the yellow brick road for a few hours before hearing a loud but muffled yell. "HELP!"

Ro turned her head. "Come on, someone needs our help."

"I don't know if this is such a good idea."

"Well you said yourself you don’t have a brain."

"Doesn’t mean that I can't have an opinion."

"Well where would you store your opinions if you don't have a brain?" He gave up on arguing since she was already several feet ahead and running to where she heard the cry for help. She found a tin man that sort of looked like Zee.

"Help me!"

"Hold on I'll help you." She tried to move him but he was stuck.

"Get the..."

"The what?"

"Oil can. Get the oil can."

"I think he wants the oil can," the scarecrow suggested, seeing the oil can sitting beside the Tin Man's foot. The tin man just sighed to himself inwardly. The Scarecrow and Ro worked on oiling him up. He finally moved all of his parts easily.

"Thank you."

"How did you get stuck?"

"The Wicked and Wild Warlock of the West had a storm come along and I got all rusted up."

"Oh you poor thing."

"That's not even the worse thing."

"What else did he do?"

"The person who created me forgot to put a heart in me."

"But everyone has a heart."

"Not me. See?" He knocked on his chest making it sound hollow.

"Well we're going to see the Scientist of OZ. Maybe he can get you a heart."

"Really, you think so?" Ro nodded.

"Alright. Come on, lets go." They walked down the yellow brick road until they saw a large tent. Ro ran up to it, hoping it was a circus. She had always liked seeing the circus. The Scarecrow followed her in reluctantly. He had come this far, why stop now? The Tin man walked into the circus tent after Ro and the Scarecrow. He didn’t like the way this looked. "Welcome! Welcome to the world's scariest circus."

"Scariest?"

"Yes, you heard me correctly, Miss. We only serve to fulfill your worst nightmares." She watched as the other two backed away.

"I have to get to the Scientist of OZ."

"Well this is the only way to go if you want to see him." The two shakily followed her. She walked in, seeing the monsters that awaited inside. This certainly was the freakiest circus she had ever seen. There were barrels of fire under the acrobats who worked in the rings.

"Hello, my sweet. What brings you here today?"

"I need to see the Scientist of OZ."

"Well, if you are brave enough to go through this then I think you're brave enough to go anywhere." She steeled herself, shrugging him off and passing by him. She saw a group of Jokers glaring her down. She knew that she was their next prey.

"Hey look at the new girl. I bet she's got a lot of creds to give us. Dontcha, Blondie?" She jumped back. She was sure there would be no Batman to save her this time. The Jokers backed off as they felt a hot, fiery sensation.

"Back off, Jokers." She turned to see the Tinman with a set glare in his eyes. They all gathered around him and the Scarecrow.

"Run Ro!" She ran off, scared to death what would happen to her friends or even herself. She found herself in a mirror maze. She placed her hands in front of her trying not to bump her head on the mirrors.

She looked at the mirrors, seeing Bennet's glaring face in some of them. She backed away, hoping not to get caught. Two arms wrapped around her as she backed away. She screamed, scared out of her life.

"It's okay, Ro! It's just me."

"Zee?"

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"I, um, well nevermind."

"Come on, you two. We have to get to the Scientist of OZ."

They tried getting out of the circus but found that they had lost their way. Ro walked around in the dark not even sure if she was still near the Scarecrow and Tinman. She saw two cages in the dark. "Hey, can you help us?"

"Who said that?"

"We're in the cages."

"What are you?"

"We're part of the show. Please can you unlatch the lock?"

"Do you promise not to hurt me?"

"We promise."

"Okay. Here you go." She opened the first cage to reveal a lion. The second cage held a black panther. They both climbed out and ran up to her. They were like two overgrown housecats as they nuzzled her side, purring.

"Come on, we have to get out here." They both ran ahead.

"Wait! Hold on! Don't go so fast!"

Ro made it out of the circus tent and found herself in a large field. She didn’t see any of the others though. It seemed to be a pumpkin patch. Ro found herself looking at a particular pumpkin. "Don't you know it's rude to stare?"

"I'm sorry, I've just never seen such a big pumpkin." The pumpkin somehow turned itself over, showing her its Jack-O-Lantern face.

"I bet a growing girl like yourself is hungry."

"Actually, I am."

"Go over there. There's a delicious red apple on that stump." She walked over and looked at the fruit skeptically. "Go ahead and just eat it."

"Okay." She took a bite of it and felt instantly strange. She fell down, falling asleep instantly.

She found herself in a black dress. This was some kind of grande ball. She saw people wearing the masquerade masks. She pulled her own away from her face to get a better look at the ball.

"Wicked Wild Warlock of the West. Where are you?" She heard an unnerving evil laugh.

"Where are your friends now, Ro?" She turned to see a man that looked like Bennet standing there.

"You put them somewhere."

"Ha, do you recognize this?" He held a robotic hand.

"No! You killed him didn’t you?"

"Yes, and you're next." She shook her head. She ran towards the mirror-like walls and pounded on them.

"No I won't let you."

"Ro." She whirled around. She saw the Tinman standing there. "Wake up, Ro."

He was shaking her, trying to wake her up. She held onto him tightly. "I want to go home."

"Shh, we'll get you to the Scientist of OZ." He was carrying her while the Scarecrow, Panther and Lion followed sorrowfully. They pressed on, going to the Scientist of OZ. They soon made it all the way to the Emerald Lab.

The guards outside stood looking at them hatefully. "Only one can enter at a time."

"Ro, you go first."

"Alright. Wish me luck."

"Good luck," the four said as she entered.

Ro walked in, seeing it to be like any other lab she'd been to before. Ro kneeled down before a man that looked like Dr. Selig. "Hello, Ro."

"Dr. Selig?"

"Didn’t you read the sign? I'm the great Scientist of OZ."

"I'm sorry."

"So what is it you wish from me?"

"Well, I'm not so sure anymore."

"Your friends. They want a brain, a heart and courage right?"

"But they have all those things."

"The scarecrow, he has a brain?"

"He's a genius."

"You speak well of him."

"No, he really is a genius."

"I know he is. And your Tin Man, he has a heart?"

"Yes, the biggest I know of."

"Why do you say that?"

"He's caring and kind. He has shown me nothing but kindness."

"You're fond of this machine?"

"He reminds me of a friend back on Earth."

"Hmmm, is that your wish? To get back to where you're familiar."

"Yes."

"Well, all you have to do is tap your shoes together three times and say what your heart desires."

"What about my friends?"

"You'll see them again soon." She tapped her shoes together, wishing to be back with Zee.

Dr. Selig smiled at his creation. "So how long have you been searching for me, Zeta?"

"I've been looking for you for almost three years, but I've been running for four."

"How long has this girl been with you?"

"Ro's been traveling with me for almost three years."

"She gave you the idea of searching for me?"

"She told me I should find the person who programmed me. They could tell if I was telling the truth or lying. We met up with Dr. Oroyo and he told us if anyone could convince the NSA that I've changed it would be you."

"Well, I believe you." Zee just looked over at Ro's sleeping form.

"Do you think she'll wake up?"

"Yes." Zee waited for many hours before Ro started to stir.

"Woah, what a nightmare," she groaned, rubbing her head.

"Ro!"

"Not so loud. My head can't take it." He hugged her tightly. She just looked at him, totally wierded out. Zee had never hugged her like this before.

"It's over, Ro."

"What's over?"

"We don't have to run anymore." She sighed as she laid back down. She definitely needed some rest. Hopefully she wouldn't find herself in that nightmare world again. That was the last thing she needed.