Voila! I have Chapter 10!

But first, I'd like to give a huge THANK YOU to everybody who nominated and voted for me during the Greg Awards! Am I disappointed that I didn't win? Of course I am. But it was an honor to be nominated, and the authors who did win really deserved it.

Also, I'm sorry for the slow updates. I'm not good at writing Shiz era fics, so this story will get a lot better once Elphaba becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. I promise.

Enjoy!

Chapter 10

"What?" I asked. "What news?"

"Oooo!" Galinda squealed. "I wish I could tell you, but Elphie told me not to, because she wants to tell everyone at the Peach and Kidney. Come on!" She started pushing me, but I firmly grabbed my wheels.

"I'm being socially arrested," I informed Evit with a groan. "Actually, would you like to come along? It could be a continuation of this date, and I know you like the Peach and Kidney."

"Um, are you sure your sister wouldn't kill me?" Evit asked skeptically. "Doesn't she kind of hate me?"

"She doesn't adore you," I admitted. "But I'm sure her 'amazifying news' put her in a good mood. Your balls are safe."

"My what?!"

I laughed. "Never mind. Point is, I doubt she'll even notice you."

"If you say so, Rose."

When we arrived at the Peach and Kidney, Elphaba jumped up and ushered us over to a table where Fiyero and Boq were sitting, immersed in a discussion about some comic book hero. "Nessa!" she said happily. "So glad you could make it!" Then she noticed my very uncomfortable looking boyfriend. "Oh. Good day, Master Evit."

He smiled. "Hello, Miss Elphaba. I'm so honored to be here for your big news."

"You weren't invited," she mumbled.

"Fabala," I warned.

She sighed. "Fine, fine. He can stay. Just try to keep your hands to yourselves." Evit and I shared a grin as we pulled up to the table.

We all ordered our food, and then Galinda said, "Alright, Elphie. Why don't you tell everyone?"

"Well, I was taking a walk in the woods today when Madam Morrible somehow found me," Fabala began. "And she told me that she had just heard back from the Wizard. He wants to meet me."

Our table practically exploded. Galinda was squealing (even though I'm guessing she already knew Elphaba's news), Boq was congratulating my sister in numerous languages, Fiyero was hugging Elphaba with all his strength, and I couldn't help but squeal a little bit.

Galinda raised her glass. "To Elphaba Melena Thropp, the soon to be Grand Vizier of Oz!"

"Here, here!"

"Oh, Fabala!" I exclaimed. "I'm so proud of you! And even though Father probably won't be proud, I'll make him act like it!"

Elphaba smiled. "That's okay. No need to force him to be someone he's not."

"But you could totally get back at him," Fiyero slurred, already a little bit drunk. "Like, when you're the Vizier, you could, like, make him pay tariffs or something, or give him the uncomfortablest chair at meetings in the EC!"

"'Uncomfortablest' is not a word," Elphaba told him. "Galinda is really rubbing off on you. And I'm surprised you even know what tariffs are."

"Of course I know what tariffs are! I'm a prince!"

Evit leaned into me. "I'm not in the loop, so tell me this: are those two an item?"

"Who?" I asked quietly.

"Your sister and that prince guy."

"Lurline, no! Fiyero and Galinda are together!" I lowered my voice again. "But between you and me, I think Elphaba and Fiyero would do pretty well together. Don't you think?"

Evit shrugged. "Maybe."

Dear Father,

I've been thinking, and I've finally decided what I want for Lurlinemus this year. I want you to let Fabala go to the Emerald City. I want her to be an awesome Grand Vizier, and I want you to hire a personal assistant for me when I graduate from Shiz.

Love,

Nessa

"How do you think he'll take it?" Evit asked as we headed back to Mujant from the post office.

"I'm his darling little Nessie," I said nonchalantly. "He'd do anything for me."

Evit grinned and shook his head in disbelief. "Wow. Honestly, Rose, you could smile and bat your eyes at the Wizard and he would let you make Munchkinland a free state."
I scoffed. "Oh, please! I'm no Galinda."

By this time, we were in our hallway at Mujant. "Yo, Nessa, Evit!" Macus called, coming over to us. "A bunch of us are going to the Ozdust Skating Rink. Wanna come?"

"The Ozdust has a skating rink?" Evit asked, surprised.

"Of course it does! Right off the ballroom! It's tons of fun." Typical Macus, always making everything sound like the greatest thing in the world.

Evit got that spontaneous look in his eyes. "I say we go! You in, Rose?"

I nodded. "Sure."

The Ozdust was everything that Elphaba and Galinda had said it was. Lights everywhere, music blaring, but despite that, a general atmosphere of fun. Most of our Reckbith compatriots were on the ice, a practice in disability culture that I of course knew of, but thought brainless to partake in. Evit had different views on the matter. "Evit Sunnel, if you think I am putting one wheel on that ice, then you've got another thing coming!"

"Aw, Rose, be a sport!" And that bastard drove his chair out onto the ice, pulling me along with him.

I screamed. "Evit! You're crazy!"

"You're doing fine!" In truth, I was just about the happiest that I had ever been. I was ice skating! Father would have had a heart attack, Elphaba would have probably been so worked up that the ice would have shattered or melted, but I didn't care. On the ice, I wasn't Governor Thropp's poor, crippled daughter or Elphaba's "broken doll of a baby sister" (as I had once heard Galinda describe me back when she was evil). I was just … Nessa.

"Hey, Nes-sa!" a familiar voice called out to me.

"Hey, Rachel!" I said happily, going over to her. "How's it going?"

"Great! I hear you're hav-ing trou-ble find-ing P-As."

I nodded. "Yeah. Especially with my sister leaving for the EC soon."

"I may have a sol-u-tion."

Immediately, I perked up. "Lay it on me!"

"A-ver-ic, the Maur-greve of Ten-mead-ows was my P-A last sem-es-ter. He's a lit-tle ar-ro-gant, but he does his job well."

I smiled in gratitude. "Alright. Thank you. I'll look him up." A little arrogant but does his job well was good enough for me, at least until Elphaba's return from the Emerald City.

And that is that! Once again, thanks for your nominations and votes, and thanks for reading this story!
Cheers,

Elle Dottore