Chapter 26

Soon after, Vaia came back from her shower and shooed Nessa out so she could get me dressed. As Vaia got me ready for the day, I had a long internal debate with myself over whether to stay at Colwin Grounds. I could stay, and be a good sister and aunt, but what would life in Munchkinland actually be like for me? I would have to stay shut up in my room all day, while Nessa risked treason. I couldn't do that to myself or to her. But I also knew that she wouldn't let me leave without a fight, so I dictated a note to Vaia that I knew wouldn't be enough. But it was the best I could do.

About five miles past Colwin Grounds, Vaia suddenly said, "Okay, hold up. Let's land for a clock tick. I'm confused about something." Dutifully, I landed us under an apple tree. Vaia stepped down from Killyjoy and took a deep breath. "Okay, so why exactly are we leaving your sister and going to the Emerald City?"

"Because … there's … nothing … more … I … can … do … for … Nessa … and … I … have … to … set … those … Monkeys … free." SPEAK.

"Those Monkeys you gave wings to all those years ago?"

"Mmm."

Vaia raised her eyebrow skeptically. "Are you sure you're not really going because of a certain prince who just got engaged?"

I felt myself blush. "Ughhhh." You're right. Why do you always have to be right? And she was. My motivation for going to the Emerald City had started when Nessa had told me that Glinda and Fiyero had gotten engaged. My feelings for Fiyero had always been lingering in the back of my mind, but this new piece of news had pushed it to the front, making all kinds of annoying Shiz memories come to me: me and Fiyero rescuing that Lion cub, us suffering together in that awful math class, his blue eyes, his lopsided grin, our coffee breaks after study sessions. I had read The Little Mermaid under his recommendation, and a particular passage came to mind …

The little mermaid, dressed in silk and gold, held up the bride's train, but her ears heard nothing of the festive music, and her eyes saw not the holy ceremony; she thought of the night of death which was coming to her, and of all she had lost in the world.

Now, admittedly, unlike the mermaid, I had never had any disillusions that Fiyero would ever feel the same way about me, and Fiyero (despite his efforts to seem like it) wasn't as stupid as the prince in the story. He knew that if he ever called me his "dumb foundling with the fathomless eyes," he would be in severe pain. But even though I knew that he and Glinda would almost inevitably get married, it was still kind of a punch in the gut that I would never get a fairy tale ending like that. Or rather, that I would get a fairy tale ending, just the twisted way they did it in the Other World, with the protagonist never getting the man and dying. How fitting.

"I knew it!" Vaia said triumphantly. "You still love him! It's so cute. Part of me wants you to go back to your sister, but the other part is eager to return the favor of you helping me get Usnavi. So let's go get that prince!"

I gave her a look. "We're … going … to … set … those … Monkeys … free." SPEAK.

"Right, right! Of course! Let's go 'set the Monkeys free.' Uh-huh."

I groaned in exasperation. Just stop.

Due to a slight delay involving some very rude apple trees that would not give Vaia any apples until she gave them the finger, at which point they pelted apples at us, we did not arrive at the EC until that evening, when the engagement party was in full swing. Vaia smashed an unguarded window to the Palace, and in we went. We ended up in a long hallway with paintings of some Ozmas on the walls. To our left was the ballroom; bright lights and music radiated from it. And of course I couldn't help myself. I had to look in, much to Vaia's amusement. There they were, the beautiful couple dancing around the room: Glinda with her dazzling smile that lit up the whole room, and Fiyero, looking like he would rather have been anywhere but that dance floor. Apart from his slicked back hair and his new captain's uniform (I had heard he had joined the Gale Force, but the news of his promotion had escaped me), he looked just like the boy I had known at Shiz, only a bit more somber. A part of me was glad he had dropped his silly "dancing through life" persona that I could always see right through, but I also wondered what could have caused this drastic change in personality. I wondered if he was possibly missing me … No, that was ridiculous. At best, I was his fiancée's outspoken green roommate who fell off her crutches while rescuing a Lion cub. At worst, he thought of me as … I didn't want to think about it.

Vaia brought me out my musings. "Oh, he is handsome! Want me to go get him for you? I could transition from nurse to hype girl in a matter of clock ticks. 'Your Highness, you have a guest in the hallway waiting for you.'" She looked crestfallen at the look I threw her. "No? Too much?"

"Throne … room … now."

She read my screen and nodded. "Right. Let's go."

The throne room was empty, surprisingly enough. The Wizard's ridiculous gold head lay still, and there was not a guard in sight. "This … is … suspicious. It's … too … quiet. You … should … hide … yourself … outside. I … think … I … can … handle … this." SPEAK.

"Okay," Vaia said nervously. "Good luck. Be careful."

I raised my eyes at Vaia as a farewell gesture, and then started looking around the throne room for where the Monkeys were being kept. In my desperation to get the hell out of there the first time I had been in the throne room, I hadn't paid close attention to just where those shrieks of agony had been coming from. And how was I going to …

"I KNEW YOU'D BE BACK." Since I couldn't jump in surprise, I ended up letting out a little scream, which was not the image I wanted to put on for the Wizard, who had now emerged from behind his great head. He chuckled a little at my embarrassed expression. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you again."

Whatever. I turned back to the many doors in the room, trying to remember which one lead to the Monkeys' cages.

"Wait! Hear me out!" I faced him again, hoping he could see how impatient I was. "I never intended to harm you."

"But … you … have … harmed … me." SPEAK.

The Wizard sighed. "I know, and I regret it. Elphaba-…"

"UUUGH!" Just shut up! Shut the fuck up! The absolute worst thing about this disease is that I can't tell assholes like you to shut up when I need you to! "Stay … where … you … are! I'm … setting … those … Monkeys … free … and … if … you … try … to … stop … me … or … call … your … guards … we're … going … to … have … a … problem … here." SPEAK.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who said anything about calling guards or having problems? The truth is, I'm happy to see you again." At my disbelieving expression, he continued, "No, really. It can get quite lonely here. And I imagine you get lonely too. Except maybe you find company in those who care for you. You must have somebody, I bet."

The nerve! "That … is … none … of … your … business." SPEAK.

But the Wizard seemed to be oblivious to how upset I was. "Ah, of course, of course. But whoever they are, they surely can't give you the best care when you're away from civilization, nowhere to be found. Which is why I'm giving you a second chance here in the Emerald City. You would be cared for by some of the best nurses in Oz! I would make sure of it." I cringed as he knelt down beside my chair. "And on a slightly more serious note, I would also make sure you would get the best end of life care possible. You would be as comfortable as ever."

"I … don't … want … anything … from … you!" SPEAK.

"Sure you do!" the Wizard said, standing back up again. "You want to stop fighting, don't you? Elphaba, you've been so strong through all of this. Wouldn't you like someone to take care of you, figuratively as well as literally? Let me take care of you! Please, let's start again."

I was half expecting to get cramps in my eye muscles from how fast I was trying to type. "Don't … you … think … I … wish … I … could? I … would … give … anything … to … go … back … to … that … time … when … I … actually … believed … you … were … wonderful. No … one … believed … in … you … like … I … did." SPEAK.

I don't know what I said to make him get on his soapbox, but whatever it was, he proceeded to give me a long lecture about how shitty his life was back in "Kan-ziz," wherever that is, and how great it was to be the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. But the thing was, even though I knew he was just trying to get me back on his side, he was so charming about it that I almost wanted to. He told me I was smart, he told me I would make a great vizier, he even put on some music and danced with me (if putting my arms around him and moving me to the beat counted as dancing with me). By the end of our little dance, I was almost hooked. Almost.

"I'll … join … you … on … one … condition. You … set … those … Monkeys … free." SPEAK.

The Wizard's face broke out into a wide grin. "Wonderful! That is easily done!" He opened one of the doors in the throne room, and almost immediately, about two dozen Monkeys swarmed out like giant, chattering bees. I laughed with delight as they all made their way out of the throne room, free at last. Mission accomplished! I gave the Wizard a grateful smile as the last few Monkeys left the room, which he cheerfully returned. But then, I noticed someone under a blanket who was attempting to follow their companions. The Wizard followed my gaze and panicked. "Oh! Pay no attention to … um … I'll just-…"

But before the Wizard could even finish that thought, the blanket was thrown off, and I got one of the biggest shocks of my life. "Doctor … Dillamond?" SPEAK.

I got even more worried as my mechanical voice startled him, and he bolted for the far side of the room on all fours. I followed him, being careful not to go too fast so I wouldn't frighten him even more. He better be just traumatized from being held captive, or …

I turned down the volume on my device. "Doctor … Dillamond … it's … me. Elphaba. Don't … you … remember … me?" SPEAK.

My heart sank as he didn't even seem to acknowledge that someone was speaking to him. I was tempted to blame my device again, but I knew that wasn't really it.

But I tried again. "Can't … you … speak?" SPEAK.

It would have been horrible enough if he had just stayed silent, but the awful bleat that came out of his mouth made my blood run cold. Almost involuntarily, I let out a sound of my own, something between a growl and a scream. That rotten, lying son of a …

"You … want … to … know … my … heart's … desire? To … fight … you … till … the … day … I … die!" SPEAK.

Of course, that made the coward retreat behind his giant head and call for his guards, even though he had promised he wouldn't do that. I was contemplating the best way to escape when three Gale Forcers ran in. "Are you alright, Your Ozness?" I swore my heart skipped a beat. There he was. Fiyero. His expression was unreadable when he caught sight of me. "I don't believe it …"

Seeing that he wasn't aiming his gun directly at me, I took a bit of a gamble. "Fiyero … thank … Oz … it's … you." SPEAK.

And the gun went up. "Silence, witch!"

"Mmm?" Really? You believe everything about me too, and now you're threatening to shoot one of your old friends? And you're telling a girl who can't speak to be silent?

Apparently he was. "I said silence!"

Another Gale Forcer practically ran up to Fiyero. "There's a goat on the lamb, sir."

"Never mind all that!" Fiyero said, his eyes still fixed on me. "Just – fetch me some water." Oh Oz, that stupid rumor that water would melt me. Really?

"Water, sir?"

"You heard me, as much as you can carry."

"Yes sir!" The two Gale Forcers marched out of the throne room with such fervor it was almost comical.

Fiyero lowered his gun, reached behind the Wizard's head, and dragged him out by the ear, the Wizard protesting the whole time. "Don't make a sound, Your Ozness! You don't want your guests to know the truth about the Wonderful Wizard of Oz." Confused by the strange turn of events, the Wizard was a little stunned, so Fiyero turned back to me. "Elphaba, we'll find Dillamond later. You need to get out of here!"

I breathed out deeply. He was on my side after all. "Fiyero … you … frightened … me. I … thought … you'd … changed." SPEAK.

"I have changed," he said in the most sincere voice I had ever heard from him.

Suddenly, a glittery bluish greenish streak just about flew into the room. "What's going on in here? I heard His Ozness call …" As she trailed off, Glinda finally noticed me, at which point she immediately knocked the wind out of me by giving me one of her bone crushing hugs. "Elphie! You're alive! I'm not even gonna question how at the moment! I missed you! Only you shouldn't have come; if anyone discoverates you …"

"Glinda, please just go back to the ball!" Fiyero said sharply.

"Fiyero, have you misplaced your mind? What are you doing?" She turned to the Wizard. "I'm sorry, Your Ozness, he means no disrespectation. You see, we all went to school together."

"Glinda …" He sounded like he was about to yell at her again, but then he thought better of it. He gestured to me. "I'm going with her." What? Where did this come from?

Glinda looked from me to Fiyero and back, looking utterly confused and hurt. "What? You mean – you two, behind my back?"

"Nnn!" I flushed a little as they both wore the same shocked look of, She can't talk anymore. She really can't talk. But I was determined not to let my disease take over even an awkward moment like this. "It … wasn't … like … that." SPEAK.

"But it was," Fiyero said to me, making my insides dance despite myself. "But it wasn't. Elphaba, let's go." So, with one last look at Glinda, I left with him, with little time to fully comprehend what had just happened.