Thanks for the reviews, guys! You don't know how happy they make me! :D

To express my gratitution, I'm offering up my services to make avatars for anybody who needs one. If you like the ones I'm using, don't hesitate to PM me to make one for you or request one that I've used before. I've already done a couple for fellow FFnet-izens like you. Check out MorsDelecti's profile. Her avatar is one I custom made for her.

When--I mean if--you PM me for an avatar request, just tell me what you want on it, like maybe Elphaba or Glinda (or both) or maybe something else entirely. Tell me of you want certain phrases or even your penname on it.

OR you could just tell me to wing it and create something totally new. That's always fun. :)

Enjoy this new chappie~

-Essence

Chapter 10

Elphaba collapsed at the top of the stairs, her breathing heavy and erratic. She gritted her teeth against the pain and the numbness that started to creep up her spine.

You are weak, she thought to herself.

She then closed her eyes, suddenly thinking of Glinda.

Because of my weakness, she was taken away from me. I was too weak to save her. Father was right. I have always been a failure…

She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand before they could sting.

I loved her. The only person I have let into my life and I've lost her. Damnit, I've lost her!

She abruptly stopped herself before she could get any angrier. The green woman didn't want to get herself worked up just yet. With a groan, she dragged herself along the hallway. The sooner she got this over with the better.

No second-guessing, Elphaba, she told herself angrily, Glinda will be waiting for you when you are done.

She looked around the hallway. There has to be a bathroom around here somewhere…

***

Zafryna stared at the piece of paper she held in front of her, deep in thought. She was sitting on her bed in the room she shared with her sisters. She put the paper on her lap, burying her head in her hands.

I can't do it.

She shook her head and reached for her looking glass, which lay next to her lap. She picked it up and stroked its smooth surface, mesmerized at the way the light from the window reflected into the glass.

She couldn't remember how she got the glass, but one thing was for certain. The looking glass was one of the only things she had that reminded her that she had a past. A past she couldn't recall.

Frustrated, she placed the looking glass back at her side. She couldn't remember anything. It was as if she was under a spell. A Forgetting Spell.

Suddenly she snapped her fingers at her realization.

"That's it," she said to herself. "I am under a spell."

She grabbed the looking glass again and looked deep into it. "My looking glass, tell me what I need to know. Tell me if I am under a spell."

She felt silly talking to a piece of glass, but she wouldn't have cared less. This wasn't the first time she was talking to her glass.

At first the image was hazy, but Zafryna could tell the glass had an answer for her. She smiled as the image began to clear, but then abruptly frowned.

"What the hell?" she asked. She was never one to cuss, but her glass has never failed her before.

She shook it, hoping it was just having an off day. She looked at it again, narrowing her eyes as she tried to see inside of the crystal glass.

"That is not an answer," she growled to it. The image inside the glass was that of a man. He was tall and dark-skinned and was uniformed. Zafryna could tell he was riding in some sort of carriage by the way his body and head jerked this way and that.

"What does he have to do with anything?" Zafryna asked the crystal ball, but she knew it wasn't going to reply anytime soon. She let out a frustrated huff and set it off to the side. She picked up the paper from her lap and read it again.

"Dom kytien readen," she muttered to herself. "Homing spell reversal. Well, I am home." She looked around the room.

"At least I think so." Her voice lowered a bit.

She then stroked her angular chin in thought. "What if the Grimmerie had some sort of Teleportation Spell I could use instead of this one?" she mused.

Looking at the paper in front of her, she doubted it. The Great Witch would not have searched for this one piece of paper if she had known there was another spell. And, as the Great Witch put it herself, she knew the Grimmerie 'like the back of her hand'.

Zafryna looked once again at the frayed paper, an uncertain gleam in her emerald eyes. "If I leave Zo to go to Oz," she said to herself, "I'm taking the only chance those girls have with me."

She bowed her head in defeat.

"I can't do it."

Suddenly she heard a moan coming from the bathroom next to the room. It sounded like someone in pain. Without a second thought Zafryna got up from the bed and pressed her ear against the thin wall. She placed a lock of light yellow hair behind her ear as she listened.

She heard the sound of running water and the light twisting of a faucet.

C'mon, say something…she thought impatiently, wanting to know who was in the bathroom. She really wasn't the nosy type, but the moan she heard earlier had concerned her.

When she did hear speaking, her jaw dropped.

"E-Elphaba?" she stuttered. "What is she doing with water? I thought she was-"

Then it hit her.

"Oh no. Elphaba!"

Not wasting another second of precious time, she ran out of the door.

***

"Sire,"

Fiyero looked up, his expression tired and grim.

"What do you want?"

The Gale Force soldier that had opened the carriage door shuffled nervously outside. "Um, we have arrived, your Ozness."

The dark-skinned man grimaced and stood up, stretching his sore muscles and cracking his neck and fingers. The guard in front of him flinched at the harsh sound.

Fiyero studied him. "Well, what are you standing around for? Notify the captain of the Emperor's arrival!"

"He has been notified, your Ozness."

"Humph," was all Fiyero said as he jumped out of the carriage. He fixed his green uniform and adjusted the OZ sign on his belt.

Another soldier ran up to him, panting and out of breath.

"H-He's ready for y-you, sire!" he stuttered.

Fiyero narrowed his blue eyes. "Who?"

"T-the Minister!"

The Emperor blinked in his brief surprise, and then shook his head. He had forgotten about his meeting with the Minister of Munchkinland. That boring old man always had to ruin his fun.

"Sire?"

The first soldier looked at him quizzically.

"Go, go," Fiyero dismissed them. "Make sure my way is clear."

The soldiers nodded and together they ran ahead of him, their green uniforms melting into the darkness of the upcoming night.

Suddenly a figure walked up beside him. Fiyero startled, dropping his rifle. It went off with a bang, also startling the figure beside him.

The whole scene erupted in chaos. Soldiers started to appear from the carriage behind Fiyero and the cavalry around him. Horses whinnied and hooves galloped as soldiers whirled around to see what was going on, rifles pointed out of pure instinct.

Fiyero quickly gathered his own senses and grabbed his own rifle, pointing it at the figure. With a sigh, he realized it was only Commander Rayne. He lowered his rifle and as if it was an order, the rest of the guards around him did also.

"I'm s-sorry," the commander stammered.

Suddenly Fiyero pointed the rifle at him again, this time closer to his face. The commander let out a startled yelp and stepped backwards.

"Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again," the Emperor snarled, his blue eyes narrowing as he touched the barrel of the rifle against the commander's nose. "Understood?"

"Very m-much so, sir," gulped Commander Rayne and it looked like if Fiyero hadn't put down the rifle a few moments later, he would have peed right into his pants.

Fiyero then looked at the soldiers around him, who appeared to be quite flummoxed.

"Well what are you all standing around here for? Let's go."

***

Fiyero yawned from his place on the green throne.

The man in front of him droned on and on about how Munchkinland's exports have decreased due to the major drought that had hit not too long ago.

Yeah, yeah, whatever…Fiyero thought lazily.

"Okay, what else? I am a very busy man."

The Minister looked at him a bit uncertainly, as if he was unsure that he could go on without putting the Emperor to sleep.

"Spit it out already! I haven't got all day…" He glanced at the window next to him. Night has fallen over Oz. "Er, night."

The Munchkinlander rubbed his hands together as he looked up at the younger man. "This concerns the impending governship of Munchkinland, your Ozness."

Fiyero rolled his eyes. Why do they keep insisting that they have a Governor when they already have me? He thought. Great Oz, politics baffle me in more ways than one.

"Yeah? So?" he asked, raising a brow.

"We need your input on whom to choose, your Ozness."

Fiyero blinked. "Who do you have in mind?"

The Minister looked up at him. "We only have one eligible candidate."

Fiyero rolled his eyes again. "Then why the fuss? Pick him."

"But, sir, you see-"

Fiyero stood up. He has had enough of this. "What are you harping about, old man? Pick the lad and go home!" No wonder Munchkinland was his least favorite part of Oz. Especially now that a particular Munchkinlander has abandoned him for a woman…

He took a deep breath in order to stop himself from punching the window next to him in frustration.

"Sir," the Minister croaked, wary of the Emperor's temper. "He's only sixteen."

Fiyero looked at him, his blue eyes glazed over in his fury. "Pick. The. Damn. Boy."

"But-"

"Shuddup!" Fiyero raised his voice loud enough that a couple of guards had to peek in to make sure the Throne Room was still in order.

"I am tired of hearing your stupid rants! I have already told you what I thought; now go home!"

The Minister looked like he was about to explode. He wasn't going to let someone his minor talk to him like that and get away unscathed. "See here-"

"I have seen enough! Go home!"

The Minister would not relent. He opened his mouth to say something else but as soon as he did, Fiyero gave him a death glare.

"That's an order."

Suddenly guards appeared on either side of the Minister, grabbing his arms.

"What is the meaning of this?" the Minister howled.

"Nighty night," Fiyero told him as he motioned the guards to take him away.

The Minister shouted obscenities at the top of his lungs as the Gale Force guards dragged him away and out of the door.

Fiyero crinkled his brow. Did I hear what I thought I heard? Did he just say Thropp?

That just got him worked up again. He gritted his teeth and stomped his foot out of pure aggravation. The captain saw him do this when he peeked into the room after the Minister and the guards had left. He raised a brow, thinking the Emperor was having some kind of fit.

"Fiyero?" he asked him.

The dark-skinned man looked up and saw his long-time friend. He gave him a small smile. "Avaric."

The blonde man chuckled and closed the door behind him. "I think you have just lost Munchkinland there."

"He was tiring me," Fiyero whined as he sat back down on his throne. He started to absentmindedly trace over his blue tattoos on his hands as Avaric walked up to him.

"You get tired of everyone, Fiyero," the captain chuckled. He was the only one who still calls him by his real name ever since he had taken up the position of Emperor.

"I can't help it. I was never made for this kind of thing."

Avaric smiled at his friend. "Soon enough, my friend. Soon enough." He then frowned as Fiyero buried his face into his hands. "Did something happen on the mission?"

Fiyero sighed and looked up at the uniformed man. "Yes. I saw them."

"Who?"

"Elphaba and Glinda."

Avaric blinked in surprise. He hasn't heard the name Elphaba in a long time. Could the Wicked Witch of the West be alive somehow? And Glinda, whose mysterious death is still under investigation?

"No."

"Yes, Avaric," Fiyero sighed. "They're still alive and…" he then slammed his fist against the throne's green armrest.

"And what?" asked Avaric quietly, still quite taken aback with the news that both of the witches of Oz were still alive.

"And together."

Avaric was still confused. "Together as in…?"

"A couple, Avaric. They're a couple."

The man took off his hat and ran his fingers through his short, cropped blonde hair. "Great Oz. That's hard to imagine."

Fiyero had buried his head back into his hands. "I know." His voice was laced with sorrow.

The captain blinked, feeling sorry for his friend. Both of those girls had been with Fiyero at some point in their lives, not to mention Glinda with Avaric for a time.

Fiyero suddenly stood up, startling Avaric.

"Fiyero…?"

"I have to do something."

"What do you mean?" Avaric asked him, a blonde brow raised in a quizzical fashion.

"I can't just let them get on with their lives and just forget about me. Oz damnit I still love Elphaba!"

Avaric had always been a little uncomfortable that the Emperor had feelings for the Wicked Witch of the West, but he had always thought they had been quelled when she died.

Apparently not.

Fiyero started to pace, his green cape billowing behind him. "I have to do something," he kept muttering to himself over and over.

"What are you going to do?" Avaric asked him.

"Something. Anything."

Avaric was growing tired of watching his friend pace and got closer to put a firm arm on his shoulder. "You're going to wear yourself out, Fiyero. You should get some rest, you look like shit." He smiled at him.

Fiyero blinked at his friend, not in the mood for playful jabs. "Avaric, you have to help me."

"Help you?"

"Yes. Help me come up with something."

Avaric could only stare into his friend's dark blue eyes. He couldn't disobey Fiyero. After all, he is the Emperor of Oz. He then thought of something, a smile replacing his confused expression.

"You have a plan?" Fiyero sounded hopeful.

Avaric shook his head. "I don't, but I know someone who does. Follow me."

Without another word they left the Throne Room.