Hello all! Yes, two updates in one day! Well, I couldn't keep you guys waiting, now could I? HEHEHE! Yes, Frex is treating Elphaba like a baby! Fun for Elphaba, I know!

"How long have you been a governess, Miss uh… Nettle?" Frex asked the tenth woman who came for the governess for Elphaba interview.

"About two years," Miss Nettle answered. She was wearing a long black dress and black gloves. Her hair was tied up in a bun and she wore a large, black bonnet. "Now, what can you tell me about Miss Elphaba?"

"Well, she's smart, independent…" Frex started.

"Older than me!" Nessa muttered.

"What was that, dear?" Miss Nettle asked.

"Elphaba is older than I am. I'm 15 and she's 18," Nessa explained. She watched as the woman shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She must be… what, maybe 23? Nessa thought.

"I see…" she finally said. She turned back to Frex. "And why does Miss Elphaba need a governess?"

"You'll see once you meet her," Frex said, standing up. "Do you accept the job?"

"Um… yes, thank you!" Miss Nettle said as she stood up, shook Frex's hand, and followed him up the stairs.

Nessa stayed behind. She regretted telling their father about Elphaba's powers. She had helped Elphaba finally convince Frex to let her attend Shiz. It was Elphaba's dream. A single tear slipped out of Nessa's eye. She had to make this right with her sister. She just didn't know how.

Frex led the new governess up to Elphaba's room. "I'll leave you two to get a acquainted."

"Governor Thropp?" Miss Nettle called. Frex turned around. "I have a feeling that there is something you're not telling me about Miss Elphaba. Something that I should know before I go in there and meet her."

"There are a few things, actually," Frex said, shifting his weight. "She deaf."

"Deaf?" Miss Nettle questioned.

"And mute," Frex continued.

"Mute?" Miss Nettle repeated.

"And green," Frex said quickly.

"What!?" Miss Nettle said in shock.

"Good luck!" Frex said as he ran back down the hall.

Did I just hear correctly? Miss Nettle wondered to herself. She shook her thoughts from her head. There was no way in Oz that a person could be green. Or so she thought.

Miss Nettle gulped and slowly opened the door. There, sitting on the bed, clutching a pillow, was Miss Elphaba. She really was green! The governess shyly walked up to her new charge. Never in her life was she asked to watch over an adult before.

Elphaba looked up and saw the stranger standing before her in her room. She knew exactly who she was and why she was here. She couldn't believe that her father did this to her. How humiliating!

"Hello, Miss Elphaba," Miss Nettle said. "I'm Poppie." She figured at since Miss Elphaba was only a few years younger than she was, it might make things a little bit better if they started out as being friends.

Elphaba, on the other hand, had no desire to have Poppie as a friend. When Poppie took a step closer to her, Elphaba growled. Poppie jumped back in surprise. Did Elphaba just… growl?

"Elphaba," Poppie started, trying not to let the murderous look on Elphaba's face scare her. "I'm here to help you."

Elphaba was taken back. Did… did this woman just say that she was there to help her? She didn't need any help.

Poppie relaxed, thinking that Elphaba was coming around to liking her. Boy, was she wrong!

Elphaba threw her pillow at Poppie's face. Poppie stared at it for a while before gracefully picking it up and giving it back to Elphaba. "It is impolite to throw things at people," she said calmly.

Elphaba was shocked. She wasn't expecting Poppie to be so calm after having a pillow thrown at her face. All she could do was stare at Poppie.

"And it is rude to stare!" Poppie said, taking off her bonnet.

Elphaba was starting to get annoyed. She wanted Poppie to leave her room and her life. She was neither needed nor wanted. Elphaba quickly summoned a fireball. That seemed to get Poppie's attention.

"E-Elphaba? What are you doing?" Poppie asked, eyeing the fireball. She didn't have time to say anything more before Elphaba threw the fireball at her. Poppie screamed, thinking that this was the end, until something, or someone, knocked her off her feet to the ground. Poppie opened her eyes and saw Nessarose on top of her, protecting her against the fire.

"I'm so terribly sorry, Miss Nettle!" Nessa apologized on behalf of her sister, helping Poppie to her feet. Once Poppie regained her balance, she looked back at Elphaba, who was crying on the floor. "No, it's quite alright. And please, call me Poppie. I'm only 23."

Nessa smiled. She was right about her age. "Very well… Poppie!" Nessa giggled. Her expression quickly turned serious. "Elphaba… um," Nessa cleared her throat before continuing. "She does that sometimes."

"What? Throw fireballs at people?" Poppie asked.

"You're lucky. Last time, it was lightning. And she missed my head by a mere inch!" Nessa retorted.

Poppie's mouth dropped open. Had Elphaba tried to strike her sister with lightning?

"She… she tried to strike you with lightning?" Poppie asked, shocked.

"No," Nessa shook her head. "Elphaba has these… magical outbursts sometimes. That's one of the reasons you're here. To help her control them. She gets very angry, very easily."

"What happened to her?" Poppie asked.

"If you're talking about why she's deaf and mute, all I know is that she was in some sort of accident, probably a carriage accident, when she was very young. Before I was born. If you're talking about why she behaves like that, I don't know. I received a letter from her one day saying that she wishes to come home. Papa pulled her out of Shiz and she refuses to tell anyone about it."

"Oh," was all that Poppie could bring herself to say.

"Well, I'm going back to my room to do some reading. If you need anything, shout! Your room is down the hall to the right," Nessa smiled as she walked back to her room.

Poppie sighed and turned back to Elphaba. She was curled up in a ball, sleeping. Poppie slowly stepped closer to her and knelt down beside her. She placed a gentle hand on Elphaba's back. Elphaba quivered, but eventually drifted back into her blissful dream.

"I will help you, Miss Elphaba. I will help you in any way I can, whether you want me to or not!" Poppie whispered as she lifted Elphaba off of the floor and into the bed.

Elphaba woke up exhausted the next morning. She stretched and got out of bed, trying to recall what had happened the night before. The last thing she remembered was meeting her new…

Oh no!

Elphaba ran down the hall to the guest room. Slowly, she opened the door and peeked inside. There, sitting at the desk, brushing her medium-length honey blonde hair, was Poppie. Elphaba softly knocked on door, startling her.

"Oh, you're awake," Poppie said in a bitter voice, still upset about Elphaba's attempt to burn her to a crisp.

Elphaba looked down at her hands, ashamed about the fireball incident. "Well, we might as well make the best of this," Poppie said, tying her hair back into a bun. "Come, it's time for breakfast," Poppie said as she brushed past Elphaba and out the room. When she didn't hear Elphaba's footsteps behind her, Poppie turned around to see Elphaba staring at her, defiance in her eyes. Poppie knew that Elphaba wasn't going to go anywhere with her willingly. She had to go to option two, force.

She grabbed Elphaba's wrist and tried to pull her, but Elphaba's feet didn't budge. Poppie had another idea. She picked Elphaba up by the waist and threw her over her shoulder. She tried to ignore the green girl screaming in her ear and kicking her as she walked down the stairs. When they finally reached the kitchen, she saw that Frex and Nessarose had already eaten their breakfast. Good! They wouldn't be walking in on her attempting to get Elphaba to eat.

"Sit!" she commanded Elphaba as she sat her down in a chair. Elphaba had finally stopped screaming, much to Poppie's pleasure.

"Stay!" she said sharply.

Elphaba glared at her. What was she, a dog, now?

"Its rude to glare at people like that!" Poppie said, fixing Elphaba a plate of eggs and toast. She set the plate down in front of Elphaba, waiting for her to take her fork and start eating. Instead, Elphaba looked at her food as if it were a poisonous snake.

"Eat!" Poppie said, turning her back to get herself some breakfast. She cringed at the sound of something expensive breaking. She slowly turned around to find the plate, or the shattered remains of the plate, on the floor. Bits of food were scattered in the mist of the shards and Elphaba was nowhere to be found.

Poppie sighed as she picked up the remains of the plate, trying not to cut herself, and threw them in the garbage. She was about to clean up the food, but then decided that it might be a better idea for Elphaba to do it. She raced out of the kitchen to find Elphaba.

Poppie was running around the house like a chicken without a head trying to find Elphaba.

"Miss Nettle?" Frex called. Poppie turned around to see the Governor giving her a weird look. "Is something the matter?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, Miss Elphaba has run away from me. Do you, by any chance, know where she is?" Poppie asked in a sweet voice.

"She's outside," Frex answered, wondering what had happened. "What happened?"

"Nothing. Miss Elphaba is just cross with me. Nothing major. Thank you for telling me where she is," Poppie said, turning on her heals and running towards the door, leaving Frex confused and worried.

Elphaba was outside, her arms wrapped around her knees. She didn't want Poppie there. It made her feel like a child. When she sensed someone approaching her, she turned around to find Poppie running up to her. Elphaba knew that running away was pointless, but she still tried to do it. Poppie, one step ahead of her, caught up to her before Elphaba could break out into a run. Poppie grabbed Elphaba's wrist and tightened her grip so Elphaba couldn't escape. Elphaba screamed as Poppie pulled her back to the house.

"Screaming like that is pointless, Miss Elphaba," Poppie spat, opening the door and pulling Elphaba inside. She led Elphaba back into the kitchen and threw her to her knees. She shoved a dishrag into her hands.

"Now, clean up the mess you made!" Poppie commanded.

"MISS NETTLE!" Frex roared from the doorway. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

"Miss Elphaba had a little accident and is cleaning up the mess she made," Poppie replied curtly.

"But, there's glass! She could cut herself!" Frex protested, running to his daughter and hugging her.

"I took the liberty of clearing the glass before I went outside to find her," Poppie replied.

"How can you be so heartless?" Frex asked, hugging his crying daughter.

"Heartless?" Poppie repeated, confused.

"Can't you see she's suffering!?" Frex bellowed.

"Governor Thropp, I am simply doing my job. Now, if you please…" Poppie said, gesturing towards the door, wanting Frex to leave. Frex got up, gently pried Elphaba off of his arm, and walked out of the room.

"We will continue this conversation later," Frex whispered to her as he walked out the room.

Poppie turned her attention back to Elphaba, who was still crying and not cleaning. Elphaba looked up at Poppie, tears in her eyes. Poppie gave her the coldest expression possible and Elphaba realized that she didn't win this battle. She turned her attention back to the bits of food on the floor and began to clean them up. A satisfied, yet cold, smile appeared on Poppie's face.