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Barry’s had a rough few weeks, so when he wakes up from a fight with the Earth 2 Weather Wizard (an even bigger asshole than his Earth 1 counterpart), he’s ready to be in the medbay, with his dad and Joe and Iris hovering. Instead…
“Is this Munchkinland?” Wizard of Oz is one of Iris’ favorite movies. Definitely Iris’. That’s why he’s watched it so many times.
“Correct, sir!” A man wearing the stereotypical sash of a mayor helps Barry to his feet, “and we are honored that you have chosen to make your entrance to Oz here! However, as you are clearly dressed to defeat the evil running amok in Oz, we should send you swiftly on your way!”
He gestures to the start of a, yes, gold-paved road. The crowd parts around Barry, everyone clearly anxious for him to be off.
“I’m supposed to go to the Emerald City, aren’t I?”
The mayor frowns, “You want to go to the Emerald City? Well, you’re the hero, I suppose.”
More than a little puzzled, Barry walks off down the Yellow Brick Road. The Munchkins all wave at him, but it’s in that slightly enthusiastic way unwelcome visitors are waved away. Barry walks a little faster when he passes out of sight of the Munchkin village, then tries to run-he’ll make the Emerald City in fifteen minutes, tops.
He trips on a loose brick, and falls on the side of the road. There’s no Speed Force, no lightning, nothing.
“Hey, dude, are you OK?” That’s Cisco’s voice. Barry sits up and looks.
It is Cisco. Sort of. It’s Cisco in oil-stained coveralls with straw sticking out of various places.
“Cisco?” Barry’s head kind of hurts now. He thinks this might be a good sign, in that it means the rest of him might be catching up to the idea that he has a brain injury.
“Yes? Wait, how did you know my name? I’m the Scarecrow, that’s what you’re supposed to call me.” He waves a bit of loose straw at Barry, illustrating the point.
“How are you the Scarecrow? I know you have a brain.”
“Well, I did. It got taken away.”
Wait, Barry knows this part, “By the Wicked Witch of the West?”
Cisco frowns, “The Witch of the West isn’t wicked- she’s wonderful!”
Now Barry’s head really hurts, “So who took your brain?”
“The last traveler through here. He had lightning all around him, in a huge cloud. It stung him, and everything around him, he said. I built things, back then. So I built him a suit to help him contain his lightning-like your suit!” Cisco points at Barry, “Did I make you that?”
Barry, who’s pretty sure he can see where this is going, nods, “Yeah, you did. But what happened with the traveler?”
Cisco grimaces, “He wanted me to build more things for him, but they weren’t to help people. I said no, and he took my brain-just reached right in and took it!”
Barry stands up, “I’m sorry. That’s terrible. But, I need to ask-my suit. I think there’s something wrong with it. My lightning’s all gone. Can you help me?”
Cisco looks down at the dusty gold brick, “I don’t think I can. I’m nothing without my brain.”
Barry shakes his aching head, then grabs Cisco’s arm, “Hey, you’re not nothing. You’re my friend.”
“I am?”
“Yes,” Barry says firmly, “and I think you can help me. Will you come with me?”
Cisco shrugs, “Beats sitting around shouting at birds. Where are we going?”
Barry hesitates, “I’m not actually sure.”
Cisco grins, “Then we should ask the Tin Woman. She’ll know what we should do.”
---
They walk a little further down the Yellow Brick Road, passing out of the dusty cornfields into a forest with pine trees frosted in snow. Barry’s no ecology expert, but as the temperature drops he thinks that transition might have been a little abrupt. His attention diverts when Cisco tugs on their linked arms and points with his free hand to a path through the snow drifts.
There’s a little cabin in a clearing at the end of the path, and it might have been a pretty scene if the whole thing wasn’t covered in ice. There’s a woman sitting on a stone bench, hands folded in her lap and head bowed. Her hair’s white, and her skin is faintly blue tinged. Barry steps forward, “Caitlin?”
Cisco pulls him back, “You have to be careful with her; never touch her, you’ll burn from the cold.”
Barry looks at Cisco, “What happened to her?”
“She used to have a warm heart, just like the rest of us. The last traveler- he took it away from her. She covered herself in ice, to keep everyone else away.” Cisco’s gaze is fixed on Caitlin.
“Wait-she’s the Tin Woman?”
“Yes, I am.” Caitlin stands up, finally looking at them. The snow piled on her clings to her, and Barry realizes it’s all frozen to her.
“Hey,” Cisco says, with a hopeful little wave.
“Why did you bring a traveler here, Scarecrow?”
Cisco looks crestfallen, gesturing at Barry, “Well, his lightning’s gone and I can’t help him fix his suit and he wanted to fight the Witch of the West- weird, right?- and I just thought,” he trails off at Caitlin’s glare.
Barry steps forward, “He-we thought you might help us.”
“You’re wrong. I can’t help anyone.” She looks away, “Go talk to the Witch of the West. Maybe she can help you.”
“I can’t remember the way,” Cisco says. He looks apologetic, “Can you just come to the Yellow Brick Road and show us the right way to go? Then I- we won’t bother you anymore.”
“Fine,” Caitlin huffs.
But Barry notices the blue tinge has faded from her skin.
---
They’ve been walking on the Yellow Brick Road for awhile, and Barry’s noticing how quiet it is for a forest. Shouldn’t there be birds or squirrels or something? There’s not even any wind in the trees.
Cisco and Caitlin are bracketing him on the road, both keeping a wary eye on their surroundings.
“Guys?” Barry starts, but Cisco shushes him.
A ringing shriek echoes from the woods around them, making all three of them jump. Caitlin raises her hands and a cold wind kicks up, as a winged person bursts from the underbrush onto the road.
Barry recognizes the woman just as Caitlin throws the icicle she’s made.
“Kendra?”
Kendra’s curled around the wound to her arm. She whimpers and tries to scoot away when Barry approaches her.
“Kendra, it’s OK, I’m not going to hurt you.”
Cisco says, “Careful, dude. The Hawk’s dangerous.”
Barry looks back at Cisco and Caitlin, “She’s not dangerous. She’s just afraid.”
“Of course I’m afraid,” Kendra snaps, sitting up, “I’m the Cowardly Hawk.”
“How can you be cowardly?” Cisco asks, “Everyone knows this part of the road is dangerous because there’s a Hawk waiting to attack people.”
Kendra laughs bitterly, “Why would I attack people? I might get hurt.” She’s still got her hand over the bleeding gash Caitlin’s icicle left on her arm.
Caitlin grimaces, “I’m sorry. I thought you were going to hurt us.”
Kendra stands up, rustling her wings to settle the feathers, “It’s OK. People look at me and think I’m scary and evil. But I’m really just a coward.”
Caitlin looks thoughtful, “Can I see your arm? I might be able to help.”
Kendra obligingly holds out her arm.
Caitlin says, “Well, it looks clean. I just need to wrap it.” But there’s cold mist swirling around her now, reaching for Kendra. Caitlin backs up, arms crossing around her stomach.
Cisco steps toward Caitlin, who shakes her head vigorously, “Don’t. Go put a bandage on Kendra’s arm.”
Kendra, meanwhile, has been studying Barry, “How did you know my name?”
Barry shrugs, the pain in his head increasing, “I’ve met you before.”
“Huh,” Kendra says, and then winces at Cisco, “Ow.”
“Sorry, almost done,” Cisco says.
Kendra’s arm is neatly wrapped with a bandage consisting of a clean rag, a shoelace, and one of Kendra’s hairpins. Barry looks at it admiringly, “Nice.”
“Thank you,” Cisco ducks his head.
“Thank you,” Kendra says to Cisco, who looks even more embarrassed.
“Where are you all going?” asks Kendra.
“Well, they’re going to find the Witch of the West,” Caitlin drawls, “I’m just taking them to the crossroads so they don’t get lost.” There’s no more mist swirling around her, but she hasn’t moved any closer to the rest of them and her lips are blue.
“Do you know the Witch of the West?” Kendra looks at Barry.
“I might,” he hedges. Because, really, he thinks, who else is the Witch of the West going to be?
“It’s just, I heard she might have a job opening. But she’s probably not interested in a coward like me.”
“Hey, don’t sell yourself short,” Barry says, “I’m sure you and Ir-the Witch of the West will get along great. Do you want to come with us?”
Kendra smiles, “I’d love to.”
---
So the four of them set off down the Yellow Brick Road. Cisco and Kendra are talking over stories they’ve heard about the Witch of the West, and whether she might be persuaded to hire a brainless Scarecrow as well as a Cowardly Hawk.
Barry slows down to walk beside Caitlin, who’s been trailing the group since Kendra joined them.
She stiffens when he veers too close to her, “Don’t touch me.”
“I’m sorry,” he says, “I wanted to thank you for staying with us and trying to protect us when you thought Kendra was attacking.”
“I’d heard stories about a Hawk in the forest,” she replies, “You don’t have your lightning and the Scarecrow- he never stops to think about danger.”
“You and he are friends,” Barry ventures.
She sniffs a little, “I don’t have friends. I don’t have a heart.”
Barry looks at her, really looks-there’s ice forming on her eyelashes, “Do you think Cisco’s stupid?”
She glares at him, “Of course not! The Scarecrow’s a genius, he can build anything. The traveler made him think he’s brainless.”
“I know,” Barry says carefully, “so maybe the traveler made you think you don’t have a heart?”
She stops, voice rising, “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she takes a breath, visibly icing over, face expressionless, “The crossroads aren’t far. Then I’m going back to my cabin.” She marches past Cisco and Kendra, who both stopped to look back at them when Caitlin shouted.
“Tin Woman,” Cisco starts, but Caitlin keeps going.
They all follow, Cisco shooting slightly accusing looks at Barry, whose headache is just getting worse and worse.
---
The crossroads are in a sunny clearing, and the four stop at a signpost in the middle of the square. The direction signs read, individually, Emerald City, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pennsylvania, and Papaver somniferum.
“Huh,” Kendra says, looking at the signs.
“Am I supposed to go to the Emerald City?” Barry asks. This has been nagging at him for awhile, along with the steady pain in his head.
All three of his companions turn to stare at him.
Caitlin says slowly, “The Witch of the West lives in Gilgit-Baltistan. I thought that’s where you wanted to go.”
“I did. I do,” It’s hard to think with his head pounding like this, but the desire to see Iris can cut through anything. It’s just, “Why is everyone so against the Emerald City?”
“You could go to the Emerald City if you really want to,” Caitlin starts.
“But who wants to? It’s so dark there,” Cisco says.
“Really dark. And it rains, like, all the time,” Kendra finishes.
They all seem to be in agreement. Barry figures they’re probably right. And he’d like to see Iris. Maybe if she’s a witch in this world she can give him something to ease the pain. “OK, Gilgit-Baltistan it is.”
Caitlin points at the road with the correct sign, “Follow that road straight through. Don’t take any side trips. If you hurry, you should be there before dark.”
Kendra looks at Cisco, then back to Caitlin, “Are you sure you won’t come with us? It’d be nice to have somebody as courageous as you if we get into trouble.”
Cisco nods, eyes hopeful, “And you’re really good at thinking up plans.”
Barry watches the blue fade from Caitlin’s skin just a little more.
“OK, fine,” She says, “I’ll go with you all to see the Witch of the West.”
---
Several hours later, Caitlin says they’re close. They’re hiking through an alpine meadow covered in beautiful little blue flowers.
When they stop for a break, Barry asks, “What are those flowers?”
“They’re forget-me-nots,” says a new voice. Barry, and everyone else, turns to see the Witch of the West standing on the path ahead of them.
It’s Iris, in a shiny emerald green gown. Barry lurches towards her, and she wraps him in a hug. The pain in his head is receding rapidly.
“Oh, Bear, I’ve missed you,” she says.
“I don’t know why I’m in Oz,” he confesses.
“The Weather Wizard brought you here for Zoom,” Iris says, “but in this realm, Zoom doesn’t hold sway anymore. You just need to go home.”
Barry remembers, “Zoom’s on my Earth. He’s killing and destroying everything.”
Iris’ face is sad, “Yes. But you can stop him. You, Cisco, Caitlin, me, Dad…you’re not alone, Barry.”
Barry rubs his hand under his eyes, pushing away tears. He looks at his traveling companions, “What about you guys?”
Kendra looks at Iris, “I heard you had a job opening. I’ve done a lot of different things; I think I could be helpful to you.”
Iris smiles at her, “I would love to have a flying friend. I never have anyone to fly with. You’re welcome to stay with me as long as you like.”
Kendra smiles back, then gestures at Cisco, “And what about the Scarecrow? He’s really smart and can make things. He just whipped up this bandage on my arm out of nothing.”
Iris looks at Cisco, and her smile softens, “Would you like to stay with me, Scarecrow?”
He blushes under her regard, looking down and muttering something under his breath.
“I didn’t hear you,” Iris says.
“I said,” his head comes up, “what about the Tin Woman?”
Caitlin’s eyes widen, than narrow as she glares at Cisco, “Don’t! The Witch of the West is offering you a place at her castle because you’re smart and courageous and, and kind. She doesn’t want a heartless monster that freezes anyone she touches around!” Ice is falling from Caitlin’s eyes, dropping on the path.
She starts to turn away, but Iris reaches out before any of them can stop her, and puts a hand on Caitlin’s arm. Caitlin yanks away, staring at Iris in shock.
“Tin Woman,” Iris says kindly, “your ice can’t hurt me. I can teach you to control it, if you want to be able to touch and be touched again.”
Caitlin glares, more ice falling, “Why would you help me? Didn’t you hear? I don’t have a heart! I can’t care, I won’t,” she breaks off.
Cisco touches Iris’ arm, “Please, Witch, please help me touch her.”
Iris smiles at him, and kisses his forehead, “There. A protection, until she controls her own power.”
Cisco practically runs to a sobbing Caitlin, wrapping her in a hug. Mist flows around them, but dissipates easily in the sunshine.
Iris looks at Kendra again. The winged girl is smiling at Cisco and Caitlin’s continued embrace, “Well, Hawk, would you like to explore your new home?”
Kendra nods eagerly. She turns to Barry, “Thank you for letting me come with you.”
He smiles at her, “You’re welcome. You were courageous to do it.”
She smiles back, “I was, wasn’t I?” She shakes out her wings, and with one huge downburst, she’s aloft. Her whooping cry of joy echoes over the meadow as she ascends.
Barry looks at Iris to find her watching him. He’s happy that Cisco and Caitlin have found each other in this world, but Iris is right. He needs to go home.
“Well,” he says, “I’ve got a red suit. Will the heel clicking thing actually work?”
Iris smiles at him, bright and beautiful, “Silly Bear. You just have to wake up,” She leans in and kisses him.
---
He wakes up in the medbay with his dad, Joe, and Iris all hovering. He sits up rapidly, waving away the fuss. Cisco’s leaning against the doorframe, and Wally, Harry, and Jesse are grouped awkwardly at the control console.
“Barry, how are you feeling?” Iris asks.
He smiles, wraps her hand in his, “Like there’s no place like home.”