He had to admit, Emerald City was beautiful. Even if his view was cramped from his prison cell, the few he could see was a sight to behold. He had a view of the street, and the observatorium tower.

The stars and the moon were out tonight. Tomorrow Philisius will be relocated from the palace to be protected from the epidemy, or so he thought.

The observatorium global roof opened in loud mechanical cricks, catching his attention. Apparently, the king didn't join the Oz night patrol tonight. Surely that straw man was taking a break before returning to his duties. Philisius always looked at this rag puppet whenever he came to the tower. He knew the Scarecrow wouldn't be even looking through the telescope, and would rather star gazing at the sky, or rather moon gazing.

The fool! Cause he thinks staring at the moon would bring her back? Twice he had the chance, and twice he failed to regain her. And yet that second time, he was the one who put her in danger ! Just because 'good kingy woved his people' yet felt so weak to protect all of Oz, so he endangered his crush into vanquishing him! Wow, what a smart move for someone who brags his brains !

He remembered how he shoved that fact into his face twice :

"So Strawmeo! Why exactly did you build this rainbow mover thingamajig for anyway?" taunted The Jester as he approached the wheel where the Scarecrow hung on.

The poor being of straw couldn't help but to shiver a bit while facing his enemy head to head.

"You can't really deny the fact that something did happen between Dorothy and you!" he said before grabbing the straw man by the cheeks and squeezing them as he tilted the king's head in a mocking sing-song voice : "After all, didn't she said she was going to miss you most of all ?"

The Scarecrow king glared daggers at him as he freed his sack face out of the Jester's grasp. The fear was replaced by anger.

"Just you wait, Jester! Once Dorothy reads my message, she'll know what to do to defeat you!" he said, but the Jester paid no mind as he turned his back on him and walked away towards the leaders of Oz turned into puppets.

"Oh sure!" he mocks. "That is ….. if no harm comes to her first!"

He then engraved with his scepter the label: 'Dorothy Gale of Kansas' under an empty window case display. The king got the idea as he tried to shook free from his cuffs, but only managed to tilt on the side. His friends were horrified as him and tried to free themselves too, but in vein.

"Oh calm down! She won't be part of my collection! … Well not if she can't get through the obstacles I'll send on her way here!"

"Don't you dare touch her!" threatened the Scarecrow.

The Jester froze at this sentence. Remembering a moment of his life when he too said the exact same words for someone …. He thought deserved his trust but backstabbed him when he became what he deserved ! It doesn't matter now ! He would show her how wrong they were and she would finally see Oz like he saw it ! But for now….

"Oh! And who's gonna stop me? You?" threatened the Jester as he shoved his scepter in the face of the man made out of straw. "You're in my possession now, your Majesty! And you're not about to leave this dizzying inferno soon!" he laughed as he spinned the wheel, making the Scarecrow scream as the green flames lighted up again.

He amused himself a little while longer before leaving in the upper floor in the tower where he kept his sister's crystal ball. And ….. his Anilozy as obedient as she should be. Hanging there on her silk solid strings, looking devoid of life and emotions, she was a wooden shell of her former self.

"Ah love! It drives every men crazy! Don't you think so, my little puppet?" he asked as he activated Anilozy.

The puppet of the Winkie girl approached and said:

"Yes, of course it does, Jester! And to think I dared to use this to exploit you and sell you to the enemy! How blind was I! And mean too! Could you ever forgive me!" answered the girl, …. or at least he made her say what he wanted to hear from her.

It's only when he looked at her …. that his smile faded. This …. this thing looked dead! …. He tried to avoid this fate to her! And now! …. But he couldn't let her free! His plan is almost complete! Maybe after …..no! Not even after! He had to keep her under control! But this wasn't her! But yet why did he care? Why did he care in the first place? Argh! All the twists and turns of his mind!

"Hhmm ….ok, you know what? You look rather ...pale, my little …. puppet ?! How about you just lay there on the wall for awhile huh?" he said as he deactivated the Winkie girl and placed her back on the wall.

"There! You'll feel better! Rest!"

He looked down as he walked away toward the window, before looking at the horizon. Then he regained his posture thinking that Dorothy Gale was on her way! He had to stop her!

But before he could have thought of a plan…..

"Woah!" yelped Philisius as he tried to catch himself from losing his balance and falling but hurting his shoulder against the prison wall in the process. "Ouch! Ah, taught me better than to live in the past…." he groans as he stroke his shoulder.

He was sure that it was gonna leave a mark…. oh well, at least his nose wasn't broken! Groaning as he stroke his harmed shoulder, he got up and continues to observe the king's silly little game. It seems so idiotic to see him gazing at the moon like that, with so much admiration. Especially to embodying it of a girl who abandoned him not once but TWICE!

"That fool! He's lovestruck in every fibers of his straw body!" mocks the ex Jester. "Almost makes me pitying him." as he then looked down on the portion of the street.

He observed the people making last preparations before tomorrow's évacuation, finding it funny to see them hurrying like chickens before a storm. … Until his eyes caught sight on a couple just a tiny bit worried, like they would go through this if never apart from one another. He felt his heart stinging him, having the illusion of him and Anilozy, when the two of them were together under his sister's wrath…. But he departed from the window and sat on the floor of his cell while sulking.

"BLEARGH!" he groaned as he mimicked to belch the word out, getting rid of the imagery. "Almost made me throw up, those idiots!"

But then again …..

She was the one who started it all….

The sister of his acquaintance was coming to the door where she was imprisoned, carrying food and water. As she approached, the guards blocked the access to the door.

"Please sirs, I have to bring her something to hold up in there! She's already cold and isolated in the dark, we can't forbid her from nourishing herself!" pleaded the brunette.

"The witch ordered us to not let anyone near or in! And forbids anyone to give her food!" answered one of the guards.

"Oh please have mercy on her! She's already freezing cold in the dark, what more could you possibly want to a child of your own country? She's part of our people, surely you could loosen up while the witch isn't watching!" she tried again.

"Even young maiden! The witch sees all in her crystal ball, and as soon as she notices us not doing as told, you'll be asking yourself if just one of us isn't enough the cost of hundreds of us!" answered the guard. "It's safer here to obey!"

"So you're saying that just one Winkie for the price of all? What's gotten into you? You've grown to be such cowards!" cried the sister of the prisoner before forcing the access.

But the guards throw her down the floor and the food and water got spilled on the ground.

That echoed through ll the quiet castle.

"What's going on down there?!" yelled his sister as she arrived down.

And she noticed the food, the girl and the guards.

"I said no food shall be sent to this heinous thing! Thought you could ease up on the rules here, didn't you?" she then said as she walked toward the Winkie girl who cowered as she approached and stepped back as the witch stepped forward to her.

She wanted to say something but didn't find what to say and how to say it without enraging the witch in front of her. The Jester couldn't help but grimaced as he saw his sister stepping on the food just to be sure none of it will be served to the prisoner.

'what a waste….' he thought to himself…. until his sister yelled:

"You must obey me without questioning my authority! Do you hear me? Nobody challenges the wicked witch of the West!"

'Wow! Look how fancy she thinks she is by speaking of herself at the third person!' he then mocked in his mind… until he hears a loud Smack!

The witch just slapped the Winkie girl with her broom and knocked her down on the floor where the wasted food was spread.

"now, clean this mess up until I see this floor jealousing the sun and tries to sparkle as such! Or else I'll see to it to turn you into a pile of rags and burn you on the spot! Was I clear enough to you?"

"Y…. Yes Mistress…" cries the poor Winkie servent still shook by the violence.

The wicked witch left comptent, as the girl started to pick the parts of food spilled on the ground. Should he approach the sister of his acquaintance? Just telling her that everything was okay? After all they are family!

As he approached her, the maiden frowned at him while picking up and cleaning up the floor.

"Hey…" he softly stated with. "About your sis…."

Then she cut him off.

"I'm not in the mood for hearing your mockeries, Jester!" she coldly answered.

"Oh no! It's not that! It's just ….." he tried, but she just gave him a cold shoulder.

"Please, leave me alone! For the last time!" she cruelly warned.

At her tone of voice, the Jester didn't continue to grab her attention and left. Fine! She didn't care enough about her sister then! He'll just manage all by himself!

Whistling down the halls acting casual, he gets himself to the kitchens. And as soon as he is sure to be alone and unnoticed, he enters in. Now that he established a contact with the imprisoned girl, better show her that he is more than just a clown!

"Ok now what?….." he mumbled as he thought of what to bring to the Winkie girl.

She needed something nourishing and yet something of unnoticeable quantity! If his sister saw him with a big amount of food, she was going to ask what was going on, and he would get caught! So two master words: Little Quantity!

"Ok, we'll start getting this here full." he said as he took a little cotton bag.

He put some fruits, and a piece of bread then took a small vial and filled it with water. Once his little bag full, he quietly left and got to the rooftop of the coal stocking room cell.

Once he opens the trap again, his acquaintance showed up as she climbed the pile of coals to the top.

"What happened?" she asked in a whisper. "I heard my sister in front of my door! Is she ok?"

"She's fine. …..She just wanted to bring you some food but got noticed! By the way, I brought you some!" answered the Jester as he shows the little bag to her.

"Is she with you?" asked the imprisoned Winkie girl.

"... No ….. She had to clean up the mess. …..And I tried to tell her about your whereabouts but …. she didn't want to listen to me." he admitted hesitant at first.

What's gotten into him? He didn't have to tell her the whole truth! Yet he did! What an imbecile he was making of himself!

"Hhmm….here have lunch!" he then said as he changed of subject very quickly and handed her the food and the water through the bars.

"She must thinks that you don't want anyone any good with costume and your job's privilege." simply said the Winkie servant.

"Huh! Tell me about it!" puffed the Jester with annoyance in his tone of voice. "I'm much of a prisoner as you are in those clothes and job, but hey! Nobody cares, that's the only thing important! Everyone has a good laugh and despises you! And you, you just smile and go on with the show! While being tormented for entertainment!" he then answered scornfully.

The Winkie girl looked at him with disbelief and pity.

"...if you don't like it ….. then why don't you stop it?" she asked gently.

"Oh believe me I would but …. it's complicated …." he answered.

"How so?" she asked again.
"Oh! It's such a long story!" he answered again.

"...Well ….. I'm stuck in here for who knows how long ….. and I love long stories!" she encouraged.

It was his turn to look at her with disbelief. Was she really willing to listen to him about his past and how he ended up like this?

And with a genuine smile, she confirmed that he could go right ahead and tell her everything. He chuckled a little before saying:

"Where do I even begin?"

"Well … like any story! From the start!" she said calmly.

He smiled at her.

"Ok! So imagine a time before when Pastoria's father was still ruling over Oz!" he started.

He remembered. He told her everything that day! His mother abandoning him at his father's doorstep! How he was a busy father trying to create the powder of life, how he was related to both of the wicked witches of the East and West and how they cursed him in this destiny. How they got rid of their father and how they accessed to power until where he was now. Laying here, near her prison on the roof, telling her everything.

And she listened, asking questions in between, just …. being interested in him. And how saddened she was after she heard all of it. But he didn't care now that he had someone as much as a friend in her. So now, after his tale, it was her turn to tell hers to him.

And so he had learned that her mother was a Quadling woman who, after meeting her father, moved to the Winkie Country. Her father came from a long line of metal carver and goldsmiths and silversmiths (some even worked for the Crowns of past rulers of Oz according to some), but he was a umble tinsmith hobbyist and builder. Him and the Quadling woman soon after their marriage had her sister, and she was just five years apart from her. When her mother was pregnant with her, she one day wished by a grotto who had the most beautiful turquoise colored waters and musical echoes in its creeks, to have a daughter with the bluest of eyes that it matched the source of this grotto and she would name her Anilozy.

He froze when he heard her name, and understood why his sister was so hard on her... But after some seconds of thinking it through, he thought he shouldn't care about prophecies and such. After all, if he knew how to steer this path in another direction, maybe nothing would happen. And continued their meetings until she finally got released.

From then on out, they tried to join each other whenever they could.

The look on her face when she wanted to intend his wound from a previous mistreatment but find another costume underneath the other one. They laughed about it but … she was so kind. How could …. How did they happened? Why did they happened?

And to think he was hoping and acting like an idiot, when his sisters dead and their "killer" gone….

Arriving in front of his late sister's castle with his large gift box, The Jester couldn't help but grin. Now that his two abusers were out of the picture, He was finally going to get what he waited for so long! Maybe later he could break his curse. All that was left was the flying monkeys still bound by the hat of his sister in the castle. It would be easy as pie to tame them to his control.

Once in front of the gate, he puts down the gift box, knocked on the door as loud as he could before jumping inside the gift box. And now all he had to do was to wait. He knew they couldn't resist. Everytime he did this trick on them and every time it worked like a charm. A little minute later, the door creaked and seconds later, he felt being lifted and journeying through the stairs. Inside, he is shaken from left to right and vice and versa, making it uncomfortable but he holds in the need to groan in complains. He can't get himself noticed, he had to wait the perfect moment!

At last, he is put on the ground and wait for one of them to get near by sniffing the gift And like a signal, he popped out like a jack in a box, as he popped down the top of the box and made them jump scared, surprised and confused!

"Oh honey! I'm home!" he shouted.

The monkeys jumped and screamed and flew away from him before looking at him and making their usual monkey noise. Jumping out of the box and rolling on his back to end getting up on his feet, he came face to face with the leader of the "floop" (as he likes to call it by fusing the words "flock" and "troop" together) and says :

"Thanks for taking care of the castle while I could get here!"

"Not crazy about what you did to the place though! " complained the Jester while observing the room at the top of the tower, before walking to the throne and taking his sister's hat (the hat that bounded the monkeys to her servitude). "Especially considering that my sister had bad taste to begin with." he grimaced as he looked at it before throwing it far behind him. "But now that the wicked witch is gone and I'm in charge …." he then said as he approached the crystal ball and uncovered it. "..It's time for a new makeover!"

The jester then walked toward a desk where one of his sister's grimoires was open still. He turned to the monkeys and says:

"You'll find that my taste are … sophisticated!"

He then turned back on the grimoire, looming over it with adoration and hunger for power.

"But some things I'll definitely be keeping! And also, unlike my sister, I won't melt at the sight of water!" he claimed.

But this water word reminded him of one name: Anilozy!

Furiously, he closes the grimoire shut before turning once again to the flying monkeys who looked at him intrigued.

"Now listen up, you monkeys! Other than letting her be melted, you served my sister well! And you're going to do the same for me!... other than letting me be melted … of course! …." he ordered them.

The entire floop looked at him intrigued, or wondering what in all of Oz he was talking about with melting or not melting, and this, enraged him.

"ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME YOU!?" he yelled at the leader monkey, who only answered him in monkey talk.

"What?! I don't speak monkey! I'll just assume you said "yes master!"" he added as a strange glowing showed through his eyes.

A mix of madness, anger and sadness combined in a unholy felling of craziness as he soon proclaimed:

"That's what all of Oz will soon be calling me! I will no longer be ignored!"

Then the Jester turned to the mohawk haired monkey leader and yelled:

"But first! You will retrieve something else that belonged to my dearly departed sister, and is rightfully mine! And you will find it in the Emerald City! Now go!"

As the order resonated throughout the room, the flying monkeys saluted militarily before taking off into the night sky. … But the Jester grabbed the leader of the floop by the tail and pulled him back to his level. Threatening him with a glance before ordering him:

"They'll get the job done! But for now there's another thing I want you to do!"

The monkey frowned in concern and landed on the edge of the window.

"Go! Fly into the night! And find out the whereabouts of a Winkie girl who answers by the name of Anilozy! You'll find her as you'll remember that she has the eyes as blue of the purest water source and the hair as red as blood! And when you return, I want to hear all of it!" the Jester ordered before his pawn monkey took off. "Fly! And don't disappoint me!"

The mohawk haired monkey nodded before taking off to the Winkie Country.

Almost an hour later, the other flying monkeys have retrieved his sister's broomstick. The Jester was contempt and excited as he took back the most powerful artefact of the wicked witch of the West and auditioning it to his father's orb, the Trozz's power was becoming all his! Soon, he'll be no longer be a pathetic buffoon at the bottom of the joke and of society, but the ruler of all of Oz! …. with possibly the most beautiful of queen by his side.

"What is taking so long for this stupid bird brained macaque to come back?" he complained as he waited by the window the arrival of the last flying monkey.

The others went back at repairing the castle for some or just checking for fleas while grooming themselves.

Suddenly, he finally sees the silhouette of the floop's leader coming back to the as soon as the monkey enters by the window….

"Ah finally! Took you long enough! So? Your report!" demanded the Jester…. Only to obtain a monkey talk of "Oohooh Ahah!" which agaced him very much. "NO BUT SERIOUSLY! CAN'T YOU TALK OZIAN FOR ONE MOMENT OF YOUR SO PUNY AND UNIMPORTANT LIFE!?" he yelled. "How could my sister understood you? That's beyond me!"

As he tried to find a solution to get the information, he sees the magic crystal ball that the wicked witch used to spy on all of Oz! He saw her spying on some rebels or even the Wizard himself!

"Maybe this could work…" he mumbled to himself before approaching the crystal ball.

As he poses his hand on the crystal ball, it seems to come back to life and the Jester orders:

"Find me Anilozy! Show her to me!"

And the crystal ball obeyed, showing glimpse of Glinda's castle, then showed the Winkie girl on the verge of dying. Her breathing slow, still sleeping and sweating from the poison effect. The jester couldn't help but to stroke at her imagery showing in the all seeing crystal.

He had to go to her! He must cure her!

In the Quadling Country, everything in Glinda's palace was at peace and quiet. The last nurse in Anilozy's room left for the night, letting the window open for freshening up the air and …. trying to maintain the fever under control. But, even though she doesn't say it, she thinks that this Winkie girl brought here by the Tin Man was a lost cause. The best they could do is trying to ease the pain for the girl to leave this world in peace. But still ….. they thought they were still going to be those two wicked witches left and look how that turned out to be! So maybe there was a cure to this, but what ? She couldn't stop thinking of it as she walked along the hall, unknowing what was going to happen a moment later in the sick girl's room.

A while later, the Jester climbed the window and slided quietly in. Looking around and finally setting his eyes on her. The poor thing, she was in worse shape than when he left her being taken. Those idiots seemed to haven't find how to cure it nor a clue on how to stop it! And they were just wasting her time! He had to take the matter into his own hands! Now!

He approached the sleeping body of the Winkie girl, looking at her with sadness and concern before lifting up her head to his chest and hugging her, feeling her weak breathing and fever through his costume. He sighed, not really knowing what he was about to do, but he had to try! For her, who's been there for him no matter what.

"I'll cure you, don't worry. I'll fix you right up!" he whispered to her before laying her back on her pillow as gently as he could.

Then, he grabbed back his scepter and took a deep breath before raising it above Anilozy's body.

"Let's do this!" he encouraged himself before waving his staff while chanting: "For you who caused my misfortune ….. and wrecked this maiden's destiny ….. erase your unholy existence ….. and from your grasp, set her free!"

A dim light escaped his scepter and covers the body of the young Winkie girl. He smiled as he thought that this should have worked! ….. But …. when the light stopped glowing and her body was still uncured

"Oh no…." he gasped horrified. "No no no no no!"

He tried to deny it. But the fact was there! He had failed her! He had failed his promise! He had failed to cure her!

The realisation hitted him like a ton of bricks as he cried of despair before taking her once again into his arms. And crying desperately:

"You can't do this to me!" as he pulled her cooling down body to his chest and cried his heart out. "You …. you promised me!… Please don't leave me!...I can't ….. not without you…..."

He was despaired, shook and lost. He didn't want to understand, it had to work! She just had to wake up! But it didn't! And she was dying, …. right in his arms!

Unnoticed by him, the burning red spots on Anilozy's arms were fading away slowly as her body temperature cooled down little by little. He did it! He truly did it! But he was blinded by what he believed to be a failure that he didn't wait long enough to see the results.

The door knob rustled as it turned from left to right, getting his attention. He had to go! But …. He looked at her one last time with tears in his eyes, before convincing himself that there was nothing he could do for her and to leave. He left and slided down the open window, unnoticing Anilozy frowning and finally waking up. Like she just woke up in the first time in weeks from a bad dream.

"Jester?" she called in a whisper as she just woken up.

But the door opened and revealed the beautiful and powerful Dame Glinda: the good witch of the South.

Anilozy is taken aback! Glinda here? Why was she here? Or rather what was going on around here? All she could remember is being banished out of the wicked witch's castle into the dark forest of the Winkie Country … with …..

"Hello my dear!" smiled Glinda to a very frightened Winkie girl. "It's alright!" she assured her. "You're out of harm and danger, you've been rescued by your new leader, the Tin Man!"

"A Tin Man?" answered Anilozy, confused. "But …. the wicked witch!" she then protested.

"She's no longer here to hurt you, my child. My! You slept well until now, my dear! You've been poisoned…. but it looks like it's wearing off, and I'm happy for you that it did! We were starting to worry for your sake." admitted Glinda with a genuine smile.

He remembered that he passed two years to mourn her before striking onto people who deserved it for not having the guts to interfere on time, not solving their problems, just …...minding to their own business, and letting them rot!

Now, after two years of crying her lose, he was back to his plan! He destroyed the lands in MunchkinLand, kidnapped the mayor, made him his puppet and so on! There was no stopping him now! It was the turn to the land of Oz to fear him now!

That was the good old times! Th time when he finaly got the respect he deserved and a court at his feet! If only that little plague from Kansas didn't come meddling in his business! Why would no one respects him as they should!? How could they want him to be like any other Ozians if they didn't treat him as much as a sand grain? It was to late now… he needed them way before all of this happened!

Suddenly, the door to his cell is opeing, getting him out of memory lane. as he looked up, he sees the Tin Man (accompanied by some of the guards).

"Philisius, we're about to evacuate!" says the Winkie leader.

Morning already?

Then he heard the global roof of the observatorium moving again. He turned around and saw the king leaving with the roof closing shut.

One rooster started to crow as the morning sun rises: "Cocka doodle doo! The sun is rising and peace still prevails on the land of Oz!"

Decidedly …. Anilozy haunted his thoughts last night.