Chapter Two

"Oz?" Italy gasped. "Where's that? Where am I? Why are you here?"

"Hey, hey, calm down," Miss Hungary said, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving him a smile that he'd always found comforting while they lived in the same house. "I'm the good witch, Italy," she said. "You just destroyed China, the copyright infringement witch of the east."

"I know, the Sealands told me," replied Italy. "But what do I do now? How do I get back home?"

"You're going to have to talk to the wizard on that one," answered Miss Hungary with and unsure look on her face. "He might help you, he might not. But there's no harm in trying, right?"

"I guess not. Who is he?"

"No one really knows. Those that have seen him say that he is huge, and he comes in the shape of a rabbit."

"A rabbit?" now Italy was sure he'd eaten some bad pizza.

"Yes; a mint green bunny-rabbit with wings."

Italy wondered why that sounded so familiar, but said nothing about it. "So how do I find him?" he said.

"For crying out loud, Italy!" shouted a Sealand. "Haven't you ever seen the movie?"

"Shush, shush!" Miss Hungary commanded. "It belongs to America, and he loves to sue people, so shush."

The Sealands sulked and milled around. "Now, Italy," Miss Hungary said. "See this yellow street here?" she gestured to the brick path.

"Russia could see it from space," Italy mumbled, making Hungary giggle.

"Well, all you have to do is follow it, and you'll eventually come by the wizard."

"Okay." Italy lifted his foot to the path.

Crash! Boom! Italy, Hungary and the Sealands all ducked.

"What happened here?" said a familiar voice. "What happened to China? Well, tell me, you black lambs of Europe!"

Black lambs? The same voice sang a taunting song in Italy's mind. Black sheep of Europe, black sheep of Europe!

"France?" Italy cried, standing up.

"Ah, little Italy!" France said, walking over in an almost menacing manner.

"What are you doing here?" Italy asked.

"I might be asking you the same question," Franc e looked angrily at him.

Italy looked France over. He wore a black robe, open, and two witch's hats. One hat covered the top of his head and the other just barely kept him from flashing everybody. France looked Italy up and down, and, while Italy didn't notice it, the second hat stood straight.

"Uh, France," Italy stammered. "Is something wrong?"

"You only crushed China with a house!" whined France. "You know how badly I wanted China to live in my house."

"Not all of China," piped a spunky Sealand. "Just the vital region."

France smirked at the Sealand who spoke. "That's all I need," said France. He turned around to face Hungary's skillet waving inches from his nose.

France's heart fearfully skipped a beat, as he remembered how badly Hungary had beaten Prussia when he invaded Austria.

He tried to compose himself, all at the same time trying to bend backward to avoid Hungary's frying pan. "Sealand said it all. Vital region is all I need."

Pooky's hair stood on end as he growled at France. "Go away," said Hungary, still brandishing her kitchen ware. "Fine," said France. "But now I'm going to occupy his house! Adieu!"

With a poof, a puff of smoke and a weird smell, France disappeared.

"Why does he want to occupy China's house?" Italy asked Hungary.

"He's always been a perv," Hungary growled. "You should have seen the way he drooled over Mr. Austria, and Spain can tell you how crazy he went for Romano."

"What did France want with Romano? He's barely any older than me and we're both so small." Italy was confused and creeped out at the same time, a feeling that only France could ever give him.

"France is a weird one," Miss Hungary sighed. "He and Prussia certainly have a lot in common, though."

Italy noted the gleam in Miss Hungary's eye, but said nothing about it.

"Anyway," Hungary continued. "You'd better be careful. Once you're out of Oz and back home, you're safe from the witch. You and your sweet cat should hurry. Continue down this path and you should arrive at the wizard's house." Hungary gesture to the yellow street and slowly vanished at the last minute, Italy caught her wink and smiled.