A/N #2: So, at first I had everything written down ahead of time and I was going to post it all at the same time, but then my internet majorly crashed on me and I decided to wait a day. The wait time gave me time to think, and time for people to review (people have already reviewed! No seriously, my mind is blown. Thank you!). In that thinking time, I decided to scratch the rest of the story and write it with more excitement. If anyone wants to read the ending to the original, review and tell me! Elphaba does crazy karate moves! Until then, I give the revised and hopefully more awesome rest of Straightening Things Out:

Glinda marched down the hall with purpose, happy to have something to concentrate on after weeks of nothing for her mind to process besides grief.

This must be what Elphie felt like when she worked to help the Animals. Glinda though as she nodded her head in greeting to a passing servant. The determination that burned in her heart almost surprised her. There was a strange exhilaration to it.

"Ah! Miss Glinda!" a gruff voice popped her pink bubble of thought. Glinda whipped her head around to see who had spoken. A big, burly man in a emerald green guard uniform stood in before her.

"Biduur! What a pleasant surprise!" Glinda had to tilt her head as far back as possible to look him in the eye. Biduur kneeled down so he was about a head shorter than she was and took her hand, kissing the back of it. School-girl Galinda would have responded by immediately tossing her hair behind her and giggling flirtatiously, but now, Glinda just nodded with the ghost of a smile. She was used to this treatment by this point. Besides, she had more important things on her mind than popularity. The guard looked back up at her and spoke again, not getting up from his kneeling position. Glinda could see his "Captain of the Guard" badge peeking from behind a fold in his jacket.

"Where are you going so early in the morning? Surely you don't have another meeting with the Mayor of the Gillikin at this hour!" Glinda paused. Where was she going? She had been so caught up in the excitement of her new found determination that she hadn't even stopped to think about where to go or what to do first. She could almost see her best friend's eyes rolling at her stupidity.

"Er... I was just... headed to fetch a little snack from the kitchens. I might have to miss breakfast due to... important issues," Glinda stuttered, hoping that her quick lie would suffice in fooling the captain.

"Oh, of course! Would you like me to escort you?" Biduur asked, getting up again and extending his hand. Glinda could have slapped herself. She should have seen this coming! How was Elphie so good at this?

"Oh, no, that won't be necessary!" Glinda said, a bit too hurriedly. "I wouldn't want to waste your time. As 'Captain of the Guard' you must have many more important things to do!" she added, seeing his suspicious look, which vanished instantly.

"It would be no problem at all! Come with me," he said taking her hand in his. Glinda could think of no other option but to follow him. Darn this high position. Glinda though, suddenly wishing she had as much freedom as Elphaba did, flying all over Oz on her broomstick.

Biduur started a conversation, but Glinda was barely listening, only hearing little bits about "those Oz darn Winkies always rebelling against everything," and, "all them Munchkins being too shy to speak up about anything." Glinda decided to take this time to plan out what she was to do about Elphaba. She definitely couldn't send guards out to find her, that was for certain. To Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West had to be dead. For now. That was the only way her plan would work.

But to convince Oz of Elphaba's innocence, that was a different story. She couldn't just throw everything on them all at once. That would cause people to become overwhelmed and confused. People being overwhelmed and confused caused havoc. That wouldn't do either. No, she would have to ease the information onto them. She had to make them believe while keeping everything calm. Oz, she thought, this is like some school project with too many rules!

By the time she and Biduur had gotten to the kitchens, she had a plan in mind, or at least the beginnings of one. She would start with freeing all the Animals first. By getting Oz to trust the Animals, she could get them to accept Elphaba easier. Besides, she thought, if I can't fix this whole mess, I can at least finish what Elphie started. She would be happy, right?

Elphaba. What would she think? Glinda had promised her that she wouldn't try to clear her name, but she couldn't help it. People should not be hated for doing something good! It just wasn't right!

"No! They'd only turn against you!" Glinda remembered Elphaba's words clearly. Well then, so be it. She thought. She decided she was willing to take the risk. She was going to clear her best friend's name no matter what it took.

And if something goes horribly wrong in the process, she decided, then at least I can say that I tried.

"Miss?" Biduur popped her bubble of thought for the second time that morning. Glinda's eyes snapped up to see him standing there with a small bundle of food. She took it with a smile, trying to act like nothing was wrong, though she wasn't able to trick him a second time. He looked at her worriedly.

"Is something wrong? Would you like to take the day off today? I would be happy to cancel any appointments you have," he said, eager to help her.

"Yes, that would be fine, thank you," Glinda said with a genuine grateful tone. Biduur nodded politely.

"No worries, your goodness," he said and hustled away. Glinda went back to her suite for a much needed nap. All the thinking had tired her out.

How do you do it Elphie? She pondered, smiling slightly.

A/N #3: Review if you want to see Elphaba do karate! ( Or just because :P )