After watching Glinda rejoin the Gale Force—being sure to remain hidden in the trees—I went to the desert—to buy me time before I had to face my sister. I went to the Great Southern Desert and lived with the Sunset Dragon tribe—and was adopted into the tribe, allowing me to participate in the ceremony of the Voice—but I didn't until I learned that Jonathon was the Voice of the Tribes—for a few months—I was sent on desert patrol and Queen Lianne told me that I should visit Nessa soon, before I forgot her—I agreed.

After I returned to Court, I knew I was ready to face Nessarose. I gulped and said, "I return to Oz today—I must face Nessarose Thropp before this whole Wicked Witch of the West scandal thing gets anymore out of hand." The others all nodded in agreement and Thom called, "Good luck—hope the plan works." I managed a shaky nod in gratitude.

I reached Munchkinland safely—and stayed out of the reach of the Gale Force—remaining close enough to make them they could catch me—then darting off and disappearing—it was a fun game I'd come up with while visiting with Glinda at Court—we'd do it to Thom or Jon or Alex or Gary or Raoul to annoy them—now it was deadlier, but more fun.

I cast a spell that let me sneak into the wardrobe in the main room, unnoticed and hid, watching and waiting to make my presence known.

"Will there be anything else, Madame? I've asked you to call me Nessarose, remember? Yes, Madame. Boq! Wha'?"

I realized then that Nessa knew I was close and I might as well reveal I was around—hey, I'd beg her to intercede Father and trick her into telling me how he'd died.

"Wow, it seems the beautiful get more beautiful...Oh! While the green just get greener. I'm sorry, did I scare you? I seem to have that effect on people. It's good to see you."

I apologized for scaring her and told her I was glad to see her, but she remained distant and cold—and angry at me—it seemed.

"What are you doing here? Well, there's no place like home. I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but I need Father's help. I need him to stand with him. That's impossible. No, it's not. Not if you ask him, Nessa. He'd do it for you, you know he would. Father's dead. What? He's dead. I'm the governor now."

I stared at the floor and whispered to myself, "So it's true—I am the sister of the Eminent Thropp." Nessa just kept right on going, ranting on how I'd caused her father's death.

"Well, what did you expect? After he'd learned what you'd done, how you disgraced us, he died of shame. Embarrassed to death."

I blurted out the first thing I could think of, and then started arguing with my half-sister—it was much worse than the playful bickering we'd had over the years.

"Good. I'm glad. It's better. That's a wicked thing to say. It's true. 'Cuz now it's just us. You can help me and together... Elphaba, shut up! First of all, I can't hide a fugitive, I'm an unelected official. And why should I help you? Flying around Oz, trying to rescue Animals you've never even met and not once did you ever think of using your powers to rescue me! All of my life, I've depended on you! HOW DO YOU THINK THAT FEELS? ALLL OF MY LIFE, I'VE DEPENDED ON YOU AND THIS HIDEOUS CHAIR WITH WHEELS! SCROUNGING FOR SCRAPS OF PITY TO PICK UP AND LONGING TO KICK UP MY HEELS!"

I looked at Nessa and tried to defend myself, but eventually surrendered and enchanted her shoes—thrilled when I'd succeeded—I nearly wanted to break into a celebratory dance—but that was way out of character for me and it would scare her again and I really didn't want to scare her again, so I didn't.

"Nessa, there isn't a spell for everything. The power is mysterious. It's not like just cobbling up a pair of...Wait. ABEN TAELIFE LAFTIUM CALUMNES LAFTIUM LAFTIUM LACALUMNES. ABEN TAELIFE LAFTIUM CALUMNES LAFTIUM LAFTIUM LACALUMNES. What does that mean? ABEN TAELIFE LAFTIUM CALUMNES LAFTIUM LAFTIUM LACALUMNES. Oh! ABEN TAELIFE LAFTIUM CALUMNES LAFTIUM LAFTIUM LACALUMNES My shoes! They feel like they're on fire! What have you done to my shoes? Oh! Nessa! No. Don't help me. OH, NESSA, AT LAST I'VE DONE WHAT I LONG AGO SHOULD AND FIN'LLY FROM THIS POWERING SOMETHING GOOD—FINALLY SOMETHING GOOD."

Then she called Boq and I didn't have a chance to leave and I couldn't convince him that I meant him and Nessa no harm. I groaned when he arrived, because now I was trapped. Then Nessa and Boq argued over love and I had no choice but to turn Boq into the Tinman.

"Boq! Boq? Come quickly! Boq! No, Nessa, no one can know I was ever here. Boq! Come at once! Boq! Yes, Madame Governor! Ugh! You! Stay away from us! Boq, it's just me. I'm not going to hurt you. You're lying! That's all you ever do! You and your sister! She's wicked as you are! Boq, what are you talking about? I'm talking about my life! And all that's left of it. I'm not free to leave Munchkinland. None of us are. Ever since she took power—she's been tripping Munchkins of our rights and we didn't have many to begin with. And you know why—to keep you here with me. But none of that matters anymore. Look. You did this for her? For both of us. Oh, Nessa, this changes everything. I know. NESSA? Yes? UH, NESSA, SURELY NOW I'LL MATTER LESS TO YOU AND YOU WON'T MIND MY LEAVING HERE TONIGHT. Leaving? THAT BALL THAT'S BEING STAGGED ANNOUNCING GLINDA IS ENGAGED TO FIYERO. Glinda? Yes, Nessa, that's right. AND I'VE GOT TO GO APPEAL TO HER, EXPRESS THE WAY I FEEL TO HER. Oh, Nessa, I lost my heart to Glinda for the moment I first saw her. You know that. Lost your heart? WELL, WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT. DID YOU THINK I'D LET YOU LEAVE ME HERE FLAT? Don't come any closer! Let him go, Nessa. YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE YOUR HEART TO ME, I TELL YOU, IF I HAVE TO...I HAVE TO MAGIC SPELL YOU. AH TAE TAE... Nessa, stop! It's dangerous! I'm warning you! Nessa, no, you're pronouncing the words wrong. You can't stop me! Aaaah! Nessa! Boq, what is it? My heart—it feels—it feels like it's shrinking. Elphaba, do something. You can't reverse a spell once it's been cast. Then what will we do? This is all your fault. If you hadn't shown me that horrendible book...Hush, will you? I've got to find another spell. It's the only thing that might work. SAVE HIM, PLEASE, JUST SAVE HIM. MY POOR BOQ, MY SWEET, MY BRAVE HIM. DON'T LEAVE ME 'TIL MY SORRY LIFE HAS CEASED. ALONE AND LOVELESS HERE—WITH JUST THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR—HER AND ME—THE WICKED WITCH OF THE EAST—WE DESERVE EACH OTHER."

I had no way of knowing that this entire meeting with my half-sister would have ended in disaster. When Nessa accused me of wanting to find Fiyero instead of freeing the Monkeys, I wanted to smirk and say, 'No, Nessa, I want to cause another scandal, this time involving our mother, and the Wizard, regarding my parentage.'

"How is he? He's asleep;. How's his heart? It's alright; he won't need one now. I have to go to the Emerald City. What happened to those Monkeys was my fault. I have to set them free. You're not going back there to save some Monkeys. You're going to find Fiyero. But it's too late. Elphaba, please, don't leave me. Nessa I have done everything I could for you, and it hasn't been enough, and nothing ever will be! Elphaba, wait. Elphaba! What happened? Nothing. You just fell asleep. Oh! What is it? What's wrong? Aaaah! It wasn't me! Aaaah! It was her! Aaaah! I tried to stop her! Aaaah! Boq, please, listen! It was Elphaba Boq! It was Elphaba!"

A/N—ABEN TAELIFE LAFTIUM CALUMNES LAFTIUM LAFTIUM LACALUMNES—is what I think Elphaba says when she's enchanting Nessa's shoes—I can't make it out so I just put down what I thought she said.