"Something bad happening in Oz."- "Something Bad" from Wicked
It was quiet, a stifling stillness pervading the atmosphere. Elphaba sighed and put her book to one side; she couldn't read while her mind was focused on other disturbing matters. Nessa stirred slightly and met her sister's eyes for a moment before turning back to the window to watch the passing countryside as the train rushed down the tracks. Closing her eyes, Elphaba rested her head against the cushioned back of her seat. Their winter break had seemed interminably long, and she was eager to return to Shiz. Galinda would probably be waiting on her in the room they shared. Fiyero would more than likely arrive on the day classes started again. Even though he had made excellent progress in his studies since he had befriended Elphaba and allowed her to influence his nonexistent study habits, he still did not understand her aversion to skipping out of classes. She wondered if they would have heard about the new Animal Banns that had been put in place a few days after Lurlinemas. There had been more Banns than were normal in the past year, and she feared that soon the rumored disappearances of Animals would turn into a routine. As she allowed her mind to wander, she drifted into a restless sleep, awakened suddenly a few hours later as the train stopped at its station.
"Elphaba, don't drag behind," Nessa snapped as Elphaba hurried to gather their things together.
"Sorry, Nessa," Elphaba huffed as she slung her bag over her shoulder and pushed her sister's wheelchair off the train.
Boq was waiting for them on the platform, and he wordlessly took control of Nessa's chair from Elphaba as the green girl scanned the bustling crowd for a glimpse of perfect blonde curls. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment, but she quickly regained her composure and returned her attention to Nessa and Boq. The two seemed to be at odds with each other already, so Elphaba decided to push her way through the throng of people with Boq following behind and pushing Nessa's wheelchair. There was a carriage waiting for them in the street. Elphaba settled herself in the carriage first, deciding that Nessa would appreciate Boq's help more than her own. Boq struggled with the wheelchair for several minutes before he managed to join the girls in the carriage.
"So, how was your break, Boq?" Nessa asked with a bright smile as the carriage began to move down the street.
Boq shrugged, "It was nice. And, you?"
"It was wonderful to be able to spend time with my father," Nessa replied, glancing in Elphaba's direction. "You should have come to visit me like we decided before we left school. Father wanted to meet you, and he was very disappointed."
"It must have slipped my mind," he mumbled as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I was busy with my family."
"But, you should have at least let me know not to expect a visit," Nessa reprimanded him. "Surely, though, your family could have spared you for one day."
"I didn't think about it. I'm sorry, Nessa," Boq said with a sigh.
Nessa smiled, "It's all right."
Nessa grabbed his hand after she spoke and beamed so happily at him when he started to say something that he just slumped into his seat. Rolling her eyes at the two of them, Elphaba turned her head to look out the window as Shiz came into view.
"I'm home," Elphaba called out jokingly as she entered the room she shared with Galinda, struggling to get her bag through the door.
Galinda bolted off her bed and launched herself at her green roommate, "Elphie! I was starting to think that you just weren't coming back."
"Yeah, our train was late," Elphaba sighed and dragged her luggage over to her bed. "I was also going to help Nessa unpack and get settled in her room, but she somehow managed to convince Boq to help her instead."
"Oh, so he did meet the two of you at the train station?" Galinda asked as she settled onto Elphaba's bed.
"Did you send him?" Elphaba replied with a slight laugh.
"No," Galinda said, affronted. "I ran into him while I was walking around, and he mentioned that he was going to meet you at the train station. I think he and Nessa are working out splendidly."
Elphaba snorted, "If you say so. Anyway, how was your break?"
"Boring," Galinda said brightly. "Oh, Madame Morrible stopped by earlier."
Elphaba looked up from the clothes she had started unpacking, "Why would she come to our room?"
Galinda shrugged, "She was looking for you. She said to tell you to visit her office when you can tomorrow. I think it's something urgent."
"What could be so urgent when we haven't even started classes?" Elphaba asked, abandoning her suitcase to sprawl out on her bed and forcing Galinda to move to her own bed.
"I don't know. Do you think it could have something to do with the Wizard?" Galinda offered as she played with one of her pillows.
Elphaba grimaced, and Galinda gave her a confused look.
"What is it, Elphie?" Galinda asked.
Sighing, Elphaba sat up, "There have been new Animal Banns issued. I don't understand it, Galinda. How can the Wizard be wonderful if he is stripping the Animals of all their rights? Maybe I would feel better if someone could give me a real answer as an explanation. I don't know. But, the idea of working for the Wizard makes me nervous."
"You don't have to take a job if he offers you one," Galinda replied quickly.
Elphaba shook her head, "How do you say no to the Wonderful Wizard of Oz?"
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation, and Elphaba groaned as she got up and opened the door.
"What are you doing here?" she asked abruptly when she laid eyes on Fiyero.
Walking inside, Fiyero leaned over and kissed her cheek, "It's good to see you, too."
"Fiyero!" Galinda exclaimed, jumping off her bed and pulling him into a hug. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he grinned.
"Why are you back so soon?" Elphaba interrupted as she closed the door and leaned on it. "I thought you weren't returning for a couple more days."
He shrugged, "I had a reason to want to come back. Also, I have news for you."
"If it's about the new Animal Banns, then I already know," she replied with a slight edge in her voice.
"Actually, it does have something to do with that," he said as he sank onto Galinda's bed. "My parents are concerned with what the new Banns could mean for the Vinkus. More Animals are moving to the Vinkus with the hope of finding shelter, but my parents don't want to be forced into carrying out the Banns if they grow more…violent."
"What do you mean?" Galinda asked, perching on Fiyero's lap.
"Well, if more Banns are issued, then the Animals could be made out to be enemies of the state. Executions and imprisonments would follow," Elphaba explained in a monotone.
"Exactly. And, that's what my parents are afraid will happen," Fiyero continued. "So, what should they do?"
Elphaba bit her lip, "I honestly don't know. I would suggest that they encourage any Animals to continue moving through Oz and go on to Ev. However, the Vinkus is very large. If it ever gets that bad, then they can claim that their territory is so vast that they are unable to police everything that happens."
"I think that they're planning with that outcome in mind," he replied. "But, wouldn't the Wizard just take over and enforce his policies regardless?"
"If the Wizard has a force that is capable of doing something that monumental, I'd be very surprised," she said as she started to pace across the floor.
"Well, let's not worry about all of this now," Galinda stated, her brow furrowing in confusion. "We did just get back to school."
"What are you doing tonight?" Fiyero asked Galinda as he gently rubbed her back.
"I haven't made any plans yet," Galinda replied as she wandered over to Elphaba's suitcase to help Elphaba hang up her clothes in the empty closet.
He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "Well, do the two of you want to go out for dinner?"
"I think I'm going to stay here for tonight," Elphaba said as she rearranged the dresses Galinda had put in the closet. "But, the two of you should go out. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about since you haven't seen each other for a couple of weeks."
"All right, if that's what you want," he replied, standing up. "I'll be back in a little while to get you, Galinda."
Fiyero gave Elphaba a small wave goodbye before he rushed out the door; Elphaba watched him leave with a bemused smile on her face.
"I really wouldn't worry, Elphie," Galinda said as she pranced over to her chest of drawers. "Now, should I wear blue or yellow?"
"Blue," Elphaba said immediately without even glancing in the direction of the dresses Galinda was holding up.
"You didn't even look at them," Galinda complained, but she threw the blue dress onto her bed with a shrug of her shoulders.
Laughing, Elphaba shoved her bag under her bed and relaxed onto her bedding with a book clutched in her hand. Galinda was making a lot of noise in the bathroom, but Elphaba decided that it was best to pretend not to hear her in the hopes that Galinda would not get the bright idea to give Elphaba a makeover. About an hour later, Galinda emerged from the bathroom, her hair in perfect blonde curls and her flawless face glowing happily, and she pulled her dress on while she hummed quietly. She met with some difficulty, however, when her zipper got stuck halfway up her back, and she struggled with it for a few minutes before turning to Elphaba with a disgruntled sigh.
"Elphie, will you please help me?" Galinda asked. "It seems that my zipper is stuck."
Elphaba laughed softly and quickly moved to Galinda, pulling as hard as she dared on the zipper. Finally, with one sharp tug, Elphaba managed to close Galinda's dress.
"Thank you," Galinda chirped, beaming at Elphaba as the door swung open.
"Fiyero, really, you need to learn how to knock," Galinda scolded him mildly as he grinned down at her.
"I haven't ever walked in on either of you, yet, have I?" he replied, pulling her into his arms.
"That's not for a lack of trying," Elphaba muttered, earning a chuckle from Fiyero.
"Have a good night, Elphaba," he said as Galinda followed him into the hallway and he closed the door.
Elphaba shook her head and moved back to her bed, reaching for her book. She stopped, though, her mind still focused on the Banns that had just been issued. She knew that she was worrying too much about something beyond her control, but the fact still remained that it was now illegal to hire any Animals, and all published works by Animals were to be removed from libraries and burned. She worried that Dr. Dillamond would soon come under fire and lose his job, or, even worse, be arrested. Frowning, she grasped her book tightly and opened it to the last page she had read. There was nothing she could do but wait and see what would happen next.