Only one review for the last chapter? Ouch…Hopefully there are other people reading who just choose not to review…

IMPORTANT: Next time I update this story the name will be changed to 'Those Who Ground Me'

"Elphie what's wrong?" Glinda wondered. The girls had been back at the Emerald Palace for three days now. Oscar had returned the Grimmerie and Elphaba had spent nearly every moment since poring over it.

"Nothing's wrong," the green woman replied, not looking up from her notes. Glinda crossed her arms.

"I may be blonde, but I'm not an idiot," she chirped indignantly. "I can tell when something's bothering my best friend." This time Elphaba met the smaller girl's eyes. Glinda was frightened by the guilt, conflict, and sorrow she saw etched there.

"I just really want to find a way to fix your wings," Elphaba explained halfheartedly. "Once the Wizard and his advisors get everything settled we'll be too busy with politics to work on it."

"You don't have to spend every waking moment reading that drab, old, book though," Glinda scoffed, eyeing the Grimmerie with distaste. "I don't mind living with wings for a bit longer. They're actually kind of cool." To prove her point she flapped one feathery appendage, creating a gust of air that flipped Elphaba's notebook shut. "Besides," the blonde continued. "We've been stuck in this new suite for three days with nothing to do. I'm bored."

Elphaba smiled at her friend's pout, but the happy expression didn't quite reach her eyes. "Alright, my sweet; how may I entertain you?"

"Well, um…" Glinda's eyes searched the suite for a source of amusement and came up empty. "You could explain what you're working on."

Again something akin to guilt flashed across Elphaba's face. She averted her gaze to the Grimmerie. "I'm trying to figure out whether or not the levitation spell can be cast on an inanimate object," the green girl explained. "That way I'll be able to test possible cures on something that won't die if I mess up." Glinda winced at her blunt words. "Sorry," Elphaba apologized. "That was harsh."

"It's alright," the blonde responded. Suddenly her eyes lit with excitement. "Why don't you try out the spell on something right now?" Elphaba frowned.

"I'm not sure if it would work."

"Well you could still try," Glinda insisted, nearly bouncing with childish glee. She grabbed an ornamental vase from one of the end tables and handed it to Elphaba.

"I…I'm kinda nervous to try this again," the witch admitted. "What if I make another mistake?"

"I've already got wings," the blonde pointed out. Elphaba nodded, swallowing thickly, and began to chant. Her hands moved in mysterious, snake-like patterns and, slowly but surely, the vase began to rise. By the time the last syllables faded away it hung in the air as if suspended by an invisible string. "You did it Elphie!" Glinda squealed. She flapped her wings in spastic excitement, smacking the vase so it knocked Elphaba in the head.

"Ouch!" the green girl complained. With a smirk she shoved the floating decoration back at her blonde companion. Glinda ducked, and the vase smashed into the wall behind her. Both girls examined the pile of expensive-looking shards with guilty expressions.

"Whoops," Glinda giggled eventually. Elphaba smiled weakly and headed towards the cleaning closet to get a broom.

/

"Your Wizardship I wouldn't underestimate Miss Thropp's rebellious tendencies," Madame Morrible warned, pacing up and down Oscar's quarters. It was a warm night, so the doors to the balcony were open. Unfortunately even the intrusion of such a beautiful, breezy night couldn't lighten the press secretary's mood.

"They're just a pair of college girls," the Wizard argued. "I know that Miss Thropp's first encounter with us was a rough one, but I do believe that she'll come around to our side." A smirk crawled across Madame Morrible's face; half disgusted, half admiring.

"You clearly don't know Elphaba," she chuckled darkly. As if in agreement someone pounded rather violently on the door.

"Your Ozness?" The voice came from a certain green girl. Oscar hurried to let her in.

"Miss Thropp, what a pleasure!" he exclaimed, grinning. Elphaba, dressed in her thick, black frock, pointed hat, and wearing her satchel, smiled tensely back. "Where, may I ask, is Miss Upland?"

"Asleep," the witch replied as she entered stiffly. "Glinda doesn't know I'm here."

"Why are you here, exactly?" Madame Morrible questioned.

"I'm here to discuss my future here," Elphaba replied cuttingly. "Or lack thereof."

"What?" Oscar demanded.

"I'm leaving," the green girl explained. "And I want you to be aware that Glinda doesn't know anything about where I'm going, or why. She's not to be held accountable for my actions."

"Miss Thropp we reached an agreement," the Wizard pointed out sternly.

"I told you I would come to the Emerald Palace, not that I would stay." Elphaba whirled around, headed for the door, but Madame Morrible intercepted her.

"I'm afraid we can't allow you to leave, dearie," she hissed, spreading her arms apart to prevent any escape. The trapped witch's frenzied eyes landed on a broom the maid had left leaning against one of Oscar's bookcases. She danced sideways to grab the impromptu weapon and prodded it threateningly at Madame Morrible.

"Guards!" the Wizard shouted. "Guards!"

"Let me go," the green girl snarled at her former headmistress, holding the broomstick like a quoxball bat.

"Or you'll sweep me to death?" Morrible oozed mockingly. Elphaba swung and caught her square in the jaw. As the press secretary went down a battalion of guards gushed through the door behind her. Elphaba fled to the balcony.

The Wizard's quarters were on one of the Palace's lower levels, but the drop from his deck to the ground was still unquestionably far and deadly. Oscar hoped that Elphaba wasn't desperate enough to try jumping or climbing to freedom. He followed the guards as they cornered their emerald quarry on the balcony railing and pushed past them to negotiate.

"Elphaba this is madness," he told her, forsaking the formality of 'Miss Thropp'. "I mean no harm to you or Miss Upland. There's no reason to run away like this."

"It's not bodily harm I fear," Elphaba replied, standing calming on the slick, granite railing as if the drop was no more than a foot. "I fear becoming part of a government that oppresses innocents for the purpose of keeping power. No, it's not bodily harm I fear, but harm to my integrity."

"Miss Thropp you have a strong moral compass, and I commend you for that, but you are too young to understand the complexities of ruling a…"

"Like hell I am," Elphaba snarled at the Wizard. "My father is the Governor of Munchkinland. Out of necessity my sister and I have both been trained extensively in the particulars of Ozian politics. Besides, I don't need more experience to recognize that what you're doing is wrong." The witch's eyes blazed with a passion even Oz's ruler was intimidated by. She looked confident and determined enough to defy even gravity itself.

And a moment later, she did. Elphaba coolly leaned backwards and fell. Oscar winced, thinking he'd witnessed a suicide. Then, when he was about to turn away, a cackling flash of black and green blazed upwards, past the balcony. Elphaba, for that was what the flying object was, stopped for a moment to hover above him. She sat astride a now-enchanted broomstick, ebony hair whipping out behind her like a banner, smirking triumphantly.

Then Elphaba disappeared into the night.