The Ruins of Oz

Starring Samurai Jack

Story by

Mercutio Puck

Chapter One.

The warrior known as Jack, once again, found himself flying through the devilish portal, the same portal that threw him away from his home and time and to the horrific reign of his opponent . It was all too painstakingly familiar to him. It seemed like more like falling, as opposed to flying, with no guidance or direction, let alone control. Every limb on his figure was attempting to grab a hold of something, moving every which way they could. His right hand kept a firm grip of the blade: the very blade forged by the heavens to destroy all evil that is Aku. Even though it is quite evident that he wasn't fighting Aku, Jack still would have no idea where the portal would take him. He would have to be ready for anything that comes after him.

'How could I have been so foolish?' he thought. 'I've come so close to him.' Jack pulled the back of his Gi toward the front, so the tear in the cloth tainted red with blood was in his sight, '...only to have been betrayed.'

Hours Before.

The warrior known as Jack is seen by his guide.

The man who was leading him to Aku had introduced himself as LeBrute. He sported a slick hairdo that was parted to the left and was completely doused in sweat and humidity. Also on his head was a pair of wayfarer sunglasses, a thinly trimmed mustache, and a mole where his nose and cheek form his left nostril. He wore a deep purple t-shirt, a little loose to make him appear less heavy. Khaki trousers and a pair of black hunting boots completed his greasy ensemble. Jack caught his attention because he hasn't spoken in a long while. When he turned his eyes from the water, he saw Jack with a determined look in his brow. He fights the velocity of the air with a bold stance, while LeBrute had to sit down so he can control the fan-powered hovercraft.

"It's just around this bend," LeBrute explained in a Creole accent. "but it's a pretty big bend. It will take at least another 15 minutes."

"That is fine." replied Jack. "I have been patient this long. I am sure it will be worth the wait."

LeBrute nodded and sped up as the turn became straight again. Jack still stood strong against the wind, only blinking to keep his eyes moist. The orange sky began to turn black and LeBrute shed his sunglasses to enhance his night vision with his merlot-like eyes

Whether it had actually been 15 minutes or not, the two come across a roughly large shack just perched on a dock. The wood is deteriorated and the shackles on the roof are periodically falling into the croc-infested waters. LeBrute slows down to not disturb the beasts, still advancing to the antique shack and dock. The moon started to rise over the peak of the house and gave an unusually brighter glow than a normal moonlight. Jack's eyes didn't even squint.

The hovercraft lightly touched the poles that were holding the rustic planks. Jack emerged from his statuesque stance and ascended to the eerie property.

"I cannot thank you enough, LeBrute. You have been most kind and I am forever grateful. However, I no longer require your help. I need to do this alone."

"Just make my time a better place. The future is really depending on you."

Jack humbly nodded to him as he turned around to face his destiny. He heard the fan from the craft start up again and quietly leaving Jack at the shack.

He walked toward the door, which was within the porch next to a broken porcelain birdbath. The only thing he was aware of was the sound of his sandals clogging the the lumber and continuous frogs croaking. He kept his hand on his blade, still sheathed as he went inside.

And there it was. Another door. This door was glowing bright red from whatever is behind it. It was clear to Jack that this was the new domain of Aku. It had to be. He could feel the darkness the door had conceived. He then got in a ready stance. He took two steps back. A sudden hush of all noise consumed the atmosphere. Jack had closed his eyes to collect all his thoughts. His goal is about to be reached. Aku will be no more...

and soon, not ever.

Jack cried out, "AAAAAKUUUU!!" as he rushed the door, shattering and knocking it down all at the same time. Wood flew forward everywhere and the red glow had taken over the entire night lit scene. The room to which the door had led appeared bigger than the size of the house would permit. The heat in the lair nearly compacted Jack's face, but his scowl remained. Sure enough, there was the shape-shifting demon caught just turning around to see it to believe it.

"S-S-Sa... Samurai!" he exclaimed in shock.

"I finally found you, Aku. There is no escape! You knew that this was coming, and it's time to live up to your fate!"

"Samurai..." Aku began wryly. "You have irritated me for the last time! It is I who will be deciding your fate. Prepare to die!"

"Don't count on it." Jack intensely said softly.

Aku shrieked and slowly transformed. Jack stood his ground for one beat of his heart and charged him. Aku quickly slithered out of the way in the form of a venomous three-headed cobra. Aku recoiled and was now in the attack position, grimacing and ready to strike. Jack continued to charge after him as Aku tried to deliver some poisonous blows. Jack naturally dodges all three of and jumps as high as the top would let him. He came diving down with the sword ready to slice. Aku could see what was happening and tried to retreat as fast he could. Unfortunately for him, Jack just caught him in cobra-like tail. Aku cried out in pain as the edges of his evil slowly began to diminish. He once again recoiled and out of fear, he struck again a split-second shortly after his retreat. Jack dodges and at the same time, slices the head clean off the body. That head of the demon fades away much like the tail.

Aku tries to change form once more. Forming rapid-moving wings, his mouth transforms into a long, thin beak. He is now a giant hummingbird with flaming eyebrows. Above Jack, he smiles as he readies himself for another attack. Jack hesitates and begins to run. Aku's beak comes just centimeters away from impaling his foe's flesh. Cracking the ground doesn't even phase Aku. Jack hits a dead-end and is nearing a wall. Jack double-takes and idea and actually charges the wall while Aku is still pecking away. Jack runs up the wall and somersaults onto the back of hummingbird Aku. Quickly, Jack carves into the wing of his opponent. As Aku lets out another cry, Jack immediately takes out the other wing. Both wings vanish as Aku comes crashing down. Aku hits the ground and has become immobile after a long battle.

The dust from the impact clears away. Aku has taken his normal form, but has completely deteriorated and is weak. Jack is over him ready to deliver the last blow.

"This ends now!" he shouted. And suddenly, the was a stabbing pain in his right shoulder. Jack let out a yelling groan. Jack takes a second to relieve himself and he turns around to see who is trying to stop him. Jack's expression turns from pain to stunned when he sees two familiar characters.

"LeBrute!" he said angrily. The he looked at the person next to his former guide and became dumbfounded once more. "And... you? But what about..."

"Me Husband?" the large woman said with a Highland accent, holding a machine gun that was just fired. "You can't expect a woman like me to love a soft man like that, could ya?"

"But...but..."

"Oh, but if you love him so much, then you could have him... or at least what's left of him anyway!" the Scotsman's Wife taunted Jack as she threw him the machine gun that was his friend's leg. Jack looks as the gun slides to him in pain and in sadness. She and LeBrute laugh deceitfully as they share a most revolting kiss.

"This..." Jack began. "This was all planned?"

"Well, they could have arrived SOONER!" interrupted Aku. Jack turned around to see a portal where Aku used to be. Jack turned around to LeBrute and The Scotsman's Wife, only to be joined by Jack's nemesis, cackling at him.

"NO! This can't happen!" enraged Jack.

"Sorry Laddybuck." said the Scotsman's Wife. "You can't always live happily ever after!" She kicks him right in the mouth and Jack falls.

The breeze from gravity's force swept his face. The portal has led him somewhere and there is finally direction to Jack's fall: down. It is night and the air is thick. There is absolutely no light, so Jack is unable to tell where to fall. He quickly thinks that it might be a forest, or a desert of some kind. He positions himself to land without doing harm to his fatigued body. He slowly closes his eyes, reminiscing of what just happened. His enemy, once again beating him. His trust, broken. His former friend, traitor. His long-time ally, deceased. The only thing for Jack to do now is to move on. That was something he was beginning to get used to.

Jack's feet absorb the impact of the ground. He is able to keep his stance for almost two seconds, and then he collapses to one knee. He breathes heavily as the machine gun lands next to him. It was a total surprise for Jack. 'It must have fallen with me.' he thought. He shifts into a more comfortable sit and picks up the gun. Holding it, he looks back on his first day meeting The Scotsman. Then he moves on to the second day he ran into him; ironically, that was the day they went to rescue his wife. This angered Jack as he tried to block it from his mind. He started to remember all the good times he had with his friend and concluded, 'I still haven't got the taste from Haggis out of my mouth.' Jack chuckled to himself, while weeping at the same time. He stood up and picked up the weapon, looking at it and strongly gripping it.

"I will never forget you, my friend." he said to the machine gun.

Jack arose to see where he has landed. It wasn't a desert or a forest like he had thought. It was a city. Completely in ruin, the buildings were black with soot, windows broken everywhere, sidewalks are almost dust, there is no light in sight. Jack was astonished. He put his sword back in the sheath and began to walk on the first part of his new journey. The more he walked, the more depressed he became. This used to be many people's home, and it was in smithereens. This gave him all the more reason to defeat Aku. First his own home, then the future, his friends, now this poor little land.

He came across a sign. There was finally evidence on where he possibly might be.

"Welcome to..." Jack read aloud. He heard a sound of a shotgun cocked behind him. He gasped, but stayed still.

"Give me your weapons and leave this place. Do you understand?" asked an intimidating female voice.

Just thought I'd let everyone know that I don't own the Characters Jack, Aku, The Scotsman, nor The Scotsman's Wife. But I bet you knew that.