Well, back and ready to write. Thanks for reviewing, James Birdsong, Loverofgoodliterature, Little-miss-laughs-alot, ComingAndGoingByBubble and SunRise19!

"What 'thing'?" I asked in curiosity. "Like some kind of invisibility with all senses, like not just visual, but auditory and kinesthetic?"

"If there's a spell for that, I haven't found it." Glinda said. "I've been trying to read that thing for thirteen years, and I'm only about a quarter of the way through."

Elphaba was silent for a moment. Then she nodded. "I remember that spell. Just give me a moment to remember the exact words..." Then she started chanting. I'd never seen anyone try casting a spell before, but now I had, I was amazed. It was such a strange experience. I could almost feel the power, and it was overwhelming. In fact, I did something that I knew I was prone to. I passed out.

Voices came back to me. "It's only been a couple minutes. She'll be OK." I recognized Matt's voice.

I heard a dark chuckle. "I didn't know the Grimmerie was that overwhelming."

"Give her a chance. The nearest she got to seeing magic last time was having a pair of shoes appear on her feet."

"I still want those back."

"Dot?" I mustered the strength to open my eyes. I could see everyone looking at me.

I smiled. "Sorry. I have a tendency to faint when I feel overwhelmed. Did you get it done?" I asked.

I heard a laugh by the door. "I'm right here." I turned to see Fiyero was there, completely OK.

Elphaba smiled. "It worked."

I smiled. "That's great."

"There's more urgent things to attend to." Nessarose said darkly. "All of you are under threat. They haven't told me much, but I'm sure I can help."

"I've got an idea." I said. "We need as many Ozians as possible on our side. That means we need admired people."

"You're perfect!" Glinda exclaimed. "Everyone thought you were wonderful for 'melting' Elphie."

"I'm actually really glad that was a fake." I remarked. "I wouldn't have met everyone in their true colours. Even though leaving the castle and staying in Oz isn't really an option. Glinda, you're a public figure, too. You'll have to help."

Nessarose surveyed the rest of us. "OK. Glinda, Dot, you're going to be our public voice. Matt, you should stay. Elphaba, you and I can't appear until our names are cleared, if ever. Fiyero...I don't know about your public image."

"No one connects his Scarecrow appearance with the so-called traitor." Glinda said. "So he's basically a hero, having been a friend of Dot's."

"OK, so he's with us." I said happily. "What do we do, though? Nessarose, what have they told you?"

"Let me think." she answered. "And you should call me Nessa, anyway. My whole name always takes too long." She was silent for a moment, and then said "They said something about forging a note from an old enemy, making it seem like her writing. She's dead or something."

"The note...I recognized the writing." Elphaba said, picking the note up. She scrutinized it. "Yes, I see it. This wasn't from Madame Morrible, after all. It was someone else."

I shook my head, trying to clear it. "So who would know that you were alive?" I wondered out loud. "This is why we're gonna need a public image. I need to put on some kind of image. Submissive. I was a naïve little girl last time I was here. That could work to my advantage. But I can't say I'm with you, Glinda, since they want you gone."

"They'll want me to come back." Nessa said. "I've got an idea. Dot, you should come with me to them, and I'll tell them that you think Glinda's rule is nowhere near competent and you hate Elphaba because she locked you up as a kid and all that jazz."

I cast an apologetic glance at Elphaba, who sent me one straight back. Then Matt spoke up. "Why don't I join you?"

I frowned a little. Elphaba shook her head. "They won't trust you like they'll trust Dot. They know nothing of you, but everyone knows who Dot is."

"It looks like it's just us, then." I said. Nessa led the way, and we were in an uneasy silence.

Finally, I said "I'm really sorry about...that thing years ago."

"I know you are." Nessa replied. "It doesn't help much, though."

"I know."

It was not the most pleasant walk in the world. Nessa was still pretty distant with me. I understood, but it was very hard for me to like her. Yet it would be wrong of me to dislike her, since she did have reason to be cold, even if I had apologized. Maybe we'd have a better relationship once I'd kept Oz peaceful, and maybe clear the names of the innocent people.

I remembered the forest we passed through. I kept a lookout for anyone. Maybe one of my other friends from Oz would be here...not that I knew if they were friend or foe anymore, but I suspected that they would still be a friend to me, whatever position they held now.

At that moment, I heard a rustle. I glanced around, and then I saw a glint of metal, in between a couple of leaves.

I feel awful for leaving this story for so long, but I didn't know what to write. Now I'm back. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! By the way, there's a poll on my profile, so please vote on it!