This will be the last chapter of Our Days at Dear Old Shiz. I would've given you more of a warning, but I thought it would keep going for at least a few more chapters. I'm sorry. Also, I have never been so nervous to post a chapter before. Anyway, thank you so much for reading my story and I hope you enjoyed it.
Disclaimer: I haven't claimed Wicked yet, so it unlikely that I will do so in the last chapter of this story.
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"How did it go?" Galinda asked when Elphaba returned.
"Like a broken tiktok man," Elphaba said sourly, "She wouldn't admit to anything."
"Did you really expect her to?" Galinda asked, brushing her hair.
"I had hoped. Instead she just tried to expel me..."
"Expel you?!" Galinda exclaimed.
"Yes. But it wasn't hard to get out of that. I just told her that if I were expelled, my father would take Nessa out of Shiz," Elphaba said.
"Why would that matter to her?" Galinda asked.
"My father has been paying her quite a bit to ensure that she takes care of his favorite daughter, Galinda."
"That must be hard for him."
Elphaba looked at her roommate, confused by this response.
"Well, all that money..." Galinda said, trying to explain without being blunt.
Elphaba seemed to catch on, "Oh. My family has plenty money for such things, Galinda."
This was news to Galinda, but before she could respond, there was a knock on the door. It was one of the girls of the dormitory.
"There's to be an assembly in the North Wing lecture hall," the girl said.
"When?" Galinda asked, still brushing her hair.
"Right now!" the girl exclaimed.
"But it's Sunday!" Galinda said indignantly, but the girl had already moved on to the next room. Galinda turned, "Elphie, we have to--"
"I heard," Elphaba interrupted grimly.
"Well, let me put my makeup on," Galinda said, heading for the bathroom, but Elphaba grabbed her.
"No. The assembly is right now. Let's go," Elphaba told her firmly.
"But my makeup--!"
"No."
The lecture hall was already becoming full when the two girls arrived. Elphaba was surprised to see that the boys from Briscoe Hall were here as well. Many of the room's occupants looked as though they had only just woken up, and many of the girls had brought brushes and makeup with them and were hurriedly fixing themselves up.
When the lecture hall appeared to contain all of Shiz's students, Morrible clambered ungracefully onto the stage and clapped her hands.
"Students," she said loudly, "It has come to my attention that there is some unrest about the semi-recent death of Doctor Dillamond. Because we never had an assembly about this event at the time of its occurring, we are having one now."
Most of the students looked bored by this news, but Boq and Galinda shot Elphaba significant glances.
"Dillamond died in an accident involving a broken glass lens," Morrible told them, "His throat was slit by an unfortunate fall into this lens. His death was very sad, and I speak for us all when I say that we miss him," she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and even managed to conjure a sniffle, "Of course, some of you seem to be under the impression that his death was more than a simple accident, and I've even heard that some of you believe that his death was caused by the politics of his species."
This statement got a few of the students' attentions, and a hushed muttering began.
"Let me assure that his death was indeed an accident and not because he is...was a Goat. Those of you who are such strong advocates of Animal rights," here Morrible gave a chuckle, as though she thought such beliefs were ludicrous, "can be assuaged. Thank you."
"What's she got against Animal rights?" Elphaba heard a boy beside her ask, and she smiled to herself. Morrible's little speech had done exactly the opposite of what she had hoped. Now people who had never questioned Dillamond's death were beginning to. Morrible was her own worst enemy.
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"What're you grinning about, Elphaba Thropp?" Boq asked her with a smile after the assembly.
"I think my chat with Morrible might've done some good after all. Maybe Animal rights are within our grasp," Elphaba said excitedly.
"Well, perhaps, Elphie, but aren't you getting a little carried away?" Boq asked her.
"No! Besides, I've decided that I'm going to bring up Dillamond's murder to someone who can actually do something."
"And who would that be?"
"The Wizard."
Boq gaped, "The Wizard?"
"No," Elphaba said sarcastically, "The other one."
"But, Elphie, well...wow," Boq said.
"Wow?" Elphaba asked with an edge in her voice.
"Yes. Wow. You want to go see the Wizard right now?" Boq squeaked.
"No, of course not now. I thought I would wait until summer holidays," Elphaba told him offhandedly.
"You're just a student! Who's going to listen to you?"
"I'm green, Boq. It isn't hard for me to get attention."
"Yeah, but--"
"I'm going back to my room. I've got things to plan," Elphaba interrupted, "Galinda, are you coming?" She turned to see that her roommate was busy. With Fiyero's lips.
Elphaba blushed.
Galinda guiltily extracted herself from his arms, "Um, actually, Elphie, I think I'm going to stay down here for a bit...if you don't mind?"
Elphaba flushed and nearly punched Fiyero's fat royal head, but she choked out, "No, I don't mind. Have fun."
"Something the matter, Elphie?" Boq asked when he saw her face.
"No. Nothing at all. Goodbye, Boq," she said in monotone and walked stiff-leggedly back to the dorms.
When Galinda did come to the room, she thought at first that someone had trashed the room. Instead, Elphaba sat on the floor, throwing things into a suitcase with more force than strictly necessary.
"What are you doing?" Galinda asked slowly.
"Packing," Elphaba's voice was hard.
"Why?" Galinda questioned, trying her hardest to sound calm.
"That is what people generally do when they are leaving somewhere."
"Elphaba, what is this about? Why are you leaving?"
"Maybe I realized that staying here is pointless. I can make a difference, but not if I'm here," Elphaba told her, avoiding her eyes.
"Elphie...this isn't like you," Galinda told her.
"I know. Neither is this," Elphaba said, crossing the room. She leaned in and kissed her roommate like she had wanted to since she had first seen her. Galinda didn't push her away, but she didn't return the kiss either. When Elphaba backed away, Galinda looked completely shocked.
"Elphie...?" she asked.
"No," Elphaba said sadly, "No, I didn't think so. I have to go. Goodbye, Galinda," She tore from the room with her suitcase, leaving Galinda to stand with an open mouth in her wake. It was just as well that she had ruined everything with her before leaving. At least now she could focus on her meeting with the Wizard without being distracted. Galinda had always been a lost cause; she knew that. But the Animals were not. Not yet. She wouldn't be back to Shiz. It was time for her to move on. She was off to see the Wizard.
