The Ruins of Oz
starring Samurai Jack

Story by
Mercutio Puck

Chapter Four.

Jack was aware of the absence of life near the tower. His ears looked for even the slightest buzz from a fly, or even a caw from a black crow. He thought positively about not hearing those sounds because he knew those animals were both scavengers, which meant nothing is dead here. However, there certainly wasn't anything living here either. How could a wise man even dwell in such a tower where the only thing living is a field of wheat? Even the wheat barely stood, and it wasn't helping that Jack was slicing a path down.

While doing so, Jack took random opportunities to look up at the tower. Each step he took, the building appeared taller, as if it was growing from it's stalk. Also, it became less of a silhouette and began to show some color as he advanced. However, there wasn't much color and if there was, it must have rusted off and faded away. It was like copper, but with a coat of oil stains. A brown metal that didn't shine was the entire structure. The would-be yellow kernels was the same tone as the would-have-been green husk. No longer did the two distinctions clash. The orange sky with black clouds even had more vividness than this rustic building. It might as well have stayed a shadow.

There was a rustle behind Jack. A different rustle than the wheat in front of him. He turned around swiftly to observe the different noise and only saw Gale. She was falling forward and she caught herself before she could land on her face. Jack prepared himself to save her, but could only retreat himself after seeing that she didn't need his help.

"You must be careful." Jack said.

"Must have been a rock, I guess." said Gale. She looked at Jack turn around to keep going and followed him. Without them noticing, a spot on the soil began to blink red, not making a sound.

They reached the point where they could look at top and barely keep their eyes open from the dark sun. However, there wasn't a door. At least on the side they were looking at.

"The door is on the other side." explained Gale.

"Away from the road?" perplexed Jack. "But that seems so..."

"I know, illogical, right? Nobody really asks him why he does the things he does. His reasonings end up making sense to people only of his intellect. If you ask me, I think he's the only one. We'll just have to walk around it."

Jack nodded. He didn't have to cut down a path because a ring around the tower was formed from bent stalks of wheat. Both of them showed no hurry in their walk to the other side.

A clash of metal echoed from inside and stopped Jack and Gale within feet from the door that led inward. They paused and waited for something else to happen. The only thing they heard was another clash. Then another. Gale readied herself for conflict as Jack stood his back to the exterior of the building. He grabbed Gale by her suspenders and put her in the place next him. They heard more clashes, each one louder than its predecessor. Jack signaled to her to follow him and they ran the opposite direction.

Just then, a standing machine stepped out to reveal heavy barrels loaded with rockets decorated in yellow and black caution paint. It took another step outside, its top just scraping the tip of the door. Its big red eye scoped its perimeter and took two more steps forward, rotating it's upper-half 360° horizontally and counter-clockwise. Its exterior had no paint, showing the inseams from welding, complete with oil stains and few scratches in its hard, metallic skin. There was even an extra plate just bolted next to its eye, as if resembling a patch of cloth sewed on a blanket. The legs pivoted to the direction Jack and Gale ran and made its way on a mission to destroy. Unknowing, Jack was behind it, soaring through the air with his sword high above his head. He was just coming down, seen from the velocity of the force of gravity hitting is clothes. The machine turned its upper half toward Jack and at the same time its red eye was on him, Jack's sword came in contact with its scope. It sliced the the metal like hot butter, as sparks flew out of the newly formed crevice. The blade, finally out of the machine's other side, became sheathed after Jack landed and stood up.

The machine crumbled in two evenly separated pieces to the ground behind him. Jack knew what had happened and didn't bother to turn around. But an unexpected whistle came out of the barrel and into the sky. Jack turned around to a trail of white smoke from the machine and continuing into the atmosphere. Finally, it exploded into a yellow and green fire cloud. It was definitely a pleasant change of scenery from the sky Jack and Gale have been watching since they're journey began.

"Impressive." Jack said.

"Yeah." Gale replied, just appearing from the turn of the tower. "Can you believe that was almost us? How'd you like to be blown to smithereens from that?"

"You really think it would be less honorable to die in a green and yellow explosion?" asked an unknown voice. Jack and Gale set rushed their attention to the door of the tower. Even though Jack has seen many unusual beings in his time, he has never seen a man made out of cloth and straw until now. He started at his deep grayish-brown trousers, which were tucked inside his black boots, as well as some access straw that was sticking out just above his calves. More straw was finding its way out of bright red patches on the pants. His leathered holsters held a revolving pistol on each of of his hips and his white, thermal long-sleeve, too, had slight oil stains and more straw escaping through every which way. His gloves, had not been for the sewing seams, looked exactly like human hands, but more straw was cuffing the wrists. And just past the suspenders upward was a slim, burlap bag with a rope tied at the opening formed a neck and a head. Not only did it have black yarn stylized as modern hair, disheveled and pulled back from his goggles resting on his forehead, but it had an almost complete face. Two brown eyes, a mouth, and even a chin somehow formed out of straw and burlap. However, there a was a little patch, slightly more distinctive than the burlap, where his nose should have been. "I think I'd be more embarrassed if I was even killed by this hunking piece of crap." he finished his thought in a raspy, sarcastic voice.

"Waco!" Gale sighed in joy as she embraced the man as if she hasn't seen him in a long time. The straw man returned the hug and had a great smile on his face.

"Waco?" he chuckled. "Nobody's called me Waco in years! It's good to see you, kiddo." The reunion of these two was a special unique one that Jack was able to recognize. They weren't lovers. They weren't siblings. They weren't father and daughter. They weren't even twins conjoined at the hip. Only two of the best of friends could hug each other like they did. This was the first time Jack felt serene since landing in this world, and he couldn't help but smile at the site. It took him back to when his friend The Scotsman saved him from sirens from their last encounter on a deserted island, and then the friendly competitions afterwards to see who would get to row the boat back to civilization. His memories stopped as soon as he made eye-contact with the straw man hugging Gale. Gale let go of him when she felt his grip ease away from her. "I don't believe we met. I... am Scarecrow." He offered his hand to shake.

"Scarecrow?" asked Jack. "But I just heard Gale call you Waco."

"Oh." he slightly laughed. "That's what she used to call me way back when she was just a little girl. You'd think by now, she'd have the pronunciation right."

"Oh, Waco." interrupted Gale. "I can say your real name. I just like Waco better."

"Now, Gale. You're an adult, now. You may call me Scarecrow. Besides, it always irritated me when never pronounced your 'R's'. Now where was I?"

"I am honored." Jack bowed, reminding exactly where Scarecrow was. "They call me Jack. Gale tells me you can help me."

"How so?"

"Well, to make a long story a short one, I need a portal that can send me back to my own world."

"A portal, you say?" intrigued Scarecrow. His eyes lit up, but at the same time he expressed no emotion. "Come with me."

Jack and Gale followed Scarecrow inside the tower. They both saw elaborate labs of chemicals and machinery and botany, scattered among the higher levels. Jack grew more confidence in Scarecrow by seeing all these experiments; he was so sure that he could help him now. "You can help me?" reassured Jack.

"Jack," began Scarecrow. "I have been studying the things you speak of for many, many years now. I don't blame you for wanting a way out of Oz. Science, logic, relativity, positioning of stellar bodies, even urban legends have told me. I'm sorry, Jack. Every theory I had for such travel has been disproved. I can't do anything in my expertise to help you." Jack put his head down. Scarecrow saw him and though he was anxious to tell what he could do, he played the sympathy card for about four seconds. "But I know someone who can." Jack's mood instantly changed and Scarecrow was excited to see it. "I imagine you're taking the road to Emerald City?"

"Yeah." said Gale.

"Good. You're on the right path. There is, at least I hope there still is, a woman in the city. The last I heard from her, she was doing well. So she should be easy to find." Scarecrow explained as he was rummaging through a closet and the others watched as they listened.

"Who is this woman?" asked Jack.

"A magic woman!"

"Magic?" asked Gale. "Waco, if this woman had so much magic, she would have saved Oz by now. What makes you think she'll help Jack?"

"She's the only hope you've got Gale. What else were you going to do in Emerald City? Would it hurt to even see?"

"He does have a point." said Jack. "If we were going there anyway, I don't see any harm in that plan."

"Okay" said Gale, still suspicious. "But how are we going to spot her out?"

"You leave that to me." Scarecrow said as he stepped out of the closet. He took of his lab goggles and had put on a lightweight leather-hided coat that was dark green in color, a supply bag strapped across his right shoulder, a scythe across the left shoulder, and a black brimmed hat, which the peak curved down and back. It also shared some bright red patches. "Because I'm coming with you."

This caught both of them by surprise, especially Gale.

"Waco, we appreciate the offer," she said with a look of concern. "but you don't even know how Emerald City has become yet."

"And you do? I'm pretty sure everyone who doesn't inhabit there knows nothing about it anymore."

"You're still made of straw, Waco. You could get burned."

Scarecrow looked disgusted. "You know it irritates me when you say that. And I'd appreciate if you never mention it again. I'll forgive you since it's been a while." His tone was calm and angered at the same. He paused to collect himself before he decided to continue. "I can tell you're worried. You have to understand there is going to be a fateful day where we will never see each other again."

"Don't say that..."

"Gale, please. You can't depend on yourself, let alone Jack. I've been in Oz longer than you have lived. If you want to find this woman safely, I need to come with you. I told I'd face a whole box full of lighted matches a long time ago. I still can and I am going with you."

"I think he is right, Gale." said Jack. "He can lead us to the magic woman and perhaps even talk her into saving Oz once I'm home. I'm sure he would be beneficiary to us. He already has helped us in the next step by giving us such information."

"I guess." said Gale. She felt a little awkward after losing the argument to protect her longtime friend. It came to her sense that Scarecrow was also looking for what was best for her, Jack, and the Land of Oz as she was looking for what was best for him. She recovered from her silence with a small grin. "Plus it would be kinda fun to hang out again."

"Thank you, Scarecrow." said Jack. "Where do we go from here?"

"Back on the road." said Scarecrow. "And from there it's a straight shot to Emerald City. There is no chance of us getting lost. Let's get you home, Jack."

Jack had started to feel selfish. This person hasn't even heard Jack's story, yet he was willing to go out of his way and risk his life just so Jack can get back to his time, just like everyone else in this world has done to him. He tried to think of something he could to return the favor of everyone who's been hospitable to him. However, he may offend someone if he brought it up. This was, after all, a different culture. It took Jack what seemed like a minute to think of something to say, but only said, "Right." The three headed out of the tower, around it, and down the path that led back to the road.

Even though Gale and Waco (pronounced WAY-ko) are loosely based on characters created by Frank L. Baum, I still like to think of them as my own. However, the characters Samurai Jack, Aku, The Scotsman, and The Scotsman's Wife are all property of Genndy Tartakovsky.