Disclaimer, the usual.
For the most part, the rest of the tour of the university had gone off without a hitch, they were all eventually spotted, but Cassandra was able to quell things before they became a disaster. The rest of the day had been spent just relaxing. Sunday was spent that way as well. The morning was spent at Jinjur's ranch, where Ozma, Dorothy, and Alex had a cup of tea and relaxing conversation about how things were. The early afternoon found them all in the banquet hall of the emerald city for sandwiches and jelly cake. And the evening brought some of them to the gale farmhouse. Dorothy and alex were seating on a sofa in the living room. Her feet in Alex's lap, he was massaging them again. Ozma was sat on an armchair across from them looking at the triplets in their playpen, the scepter floating idly and silent nearby. Emily was in the kitchen making some sandwiches as well as they were quick and easy, and henry was once again out in the yard tinkering with the old tractor. And Aislynn was sat at the dining room table, her nose in a book.
"you know, it's hard to believe at this time next year" Aislynn started, "we'll be sitting around a lounge area of a university."
"in a university that lady Cassandra got all of us into." Alex said looking up at the ceiling.
"sometimes I don't think any of us are quite sure what to make of Cassandra." Ozma said looking over at the two on the couch, "She makes me feel uneasy."
"she gets that reaction from all of us." Em said coming out of the kitchen with some plates.
"Yes, she knows more than she tells, and won't give an ounce more than what she believes is needed." Aislynn said sounding a little bit bitter "sad part is she's usually right with what she gives in the first place."
"She's got some grandmotherly qualities about her." Em said setting a plate with a sandwich on it in front of her.
"which for most of us in this room, it isn't much to go on since none of us knew either of our grandparents." Dorothy said sighing,
"okay, I can't deny that." Em said handing each of them a plate.
"thank you, Emily," Ozma said taking a bite from the sandwich before talking with her mouth half full, "I'm not sure I even have grandparents, even the wizard doesn't know too much about my lineage, and he took over from him." Ozma said shrugging as she swallowed.
"well surely they'd have done some bookkeeping back in those days?" Aislynn asked.
"if they did, they were very sloppy with it, alternatively I assume my father could have kept it out of the history books in general." She added with a shrug, "maybe he was embarrassed about what might have become of them."
"What became of your father and the rest of your family is unknown." Glinda said appear in the room, "the great book of records makes no mention of them which is always irksome." She added.
"Yes, you had to go through father time just to modify it and absolve nessa and Elphaba." Alex said, "what did that cost you anyways? Bringing them back cost the jester half his power, so surely bringing the truth out…" He trailed off getting glares from everyone.
"there was probably a nicer way to ask about that." Em said sighing, "care for a sandwich, Glinda?" em asked curiously.
"no thank you Emily, I won't be staying long." She said as the phone began ringing, being closed to it, she picked it up, "Gale Residence, no you haven't missed him yet, surely you'd want to, fair enough, Alex, it's your uncle."
Alex sighed, setting his plate on the arm of the chair, and removing Dorothy's feet from his lap, he walked over to Glinda and took the phone.
"Animal control, alex teak speaking." He said causing some laughs, "no uncle I wasn't, ok I knew it was going to the board for approval but, no uncle, isn't this more a thing to be talking about with my parents and Mr. and Mrs. gale? That feels beside the point doesn't it? Have you told anyone else? Well, what's the caveat then?" this last part was delivered with alex sounding rather annoyed,
"Wha…" dorothy was cut off by her aunt shushing her.
Alex turned to look at dorothy and Ozma, "no, they're both here as well, ace has her nose in a book as usual, but I, no uncle, uh-huh, right, again why are you, I see…" he trailed off for a few moments, "Okay, that doesn't really explain why you're telling me this, no uncle, but…well yes that's good news, but it's basically the only part that in any way concerns me and even that's a str…look if you didn't want." Alex sighed as he was cut off again "Uncle, I'm handing the phone over now." He said offering it to Em.
Alex walked back over to the couch and sat down on it,
"It seems certain situations are about to be changing." He said grabbing the sandwich he had mostly abandoned, "I'm afraid I can't really explain things either as I shouldn't even know this yet."
"know what?" dorothy and Ozma asked curiously.
"we're not at liberty to say." Came the voice of the beast from the mirror hung behind him,
"Then why mention it?" Glinda asked curiously,
"because unfortunately my uncle has put me in a rather awkward position, and on one hand I'm glad at what I learned, but on the other hand." He said with a sigh, "well…it's not exactly a secret and will be made public tomorrow."
"Dorothy, Ozma, ace you too, can you all go to one of the bedrooms." Em said,
Aislynn did not even wait, she got to her feet and bolted to her room, her nose still in her book.
Dorothy sighed and got to her feet, as did Ozma.
"School matter, I'm not sure when it became Alex's problem." Dorothy said looking at him.
Alex tapped the side of his nose, he mouthed, I'll tell you what I can later.
" he's not usually like this, he's usually the first to tell me everything." Dorothy said leading Ozma to her room.
"Well, I think it must have become his problem when the beast became one." Ozma said with emphasis on became, "I don't see why I'm being sent to your room either, though it is rather nice." She said looking around it.
"probably, because you'd be second in line to tell me everything" dorothy said shutting the door behind them, "we're completely isolated in here, apart from toto and pockets." Dorothy said looking at the bed where the two animals were stood in vigil.
"And that's a bad thing?" Pockets asked curiously.
"no pockets, it isn't a bad thing, but someone's keeping secrets from the two of us." Dorothy said sitting down on the bed and patting it for Ozma.
Ozma smiled and sat down on it, she proceeded to bounce up and down on her butt a couple of times before removing her own shoes and turning over onto the bed.
"Very comfy bed." She said with a giggle.
"it is." Dorothy said giggling back.
Pockets immediately jumped onto Ozma's stomach knocking the wind out of her. This caused dorothy to laugh. Ozma picked up the cat and held it to her face, toto immediately took pocket's position causing her to get the wind knocked out of her again. Dorothy almost fell over with laughter.
"you know, for small animals, you two are surprisingly heavy" Ozma said giggling, "still, you're both rather soft and easy to cuddle with."
Dorothy wiped tears of laughter from her eyes and sighed.
"basically, it's what it's like to be me." Dorothy said smiling, "the normal farm girl I mean."
"you think Glinda would let me stay the night if I…" she trailed off.
"Asked? Considering her current track record, I'd say put her next to Elphaba and you stand a decent chance." Dorothy said sitting down on her bed and undoing Ozma's hair.
"yea…" She trailed off, "what can happen when I'm here with you though." She asked looking over to where dorothy had put the slippers.
"in oz? literally anything under the sun…here, possible injuries but nothing very likely." She said taking toto off Ozma's stomach, "it's more that Glinda is afraid of the might that concerns you." Dorothy said sighing.
There was a knock on the door.
"It's open." Dorothy said.
The door opened and alex slipped in with the scepter in hand.
"Sorry about that kitten, my uncle just decided that stuff pertaining to the school qualified as family business." He said letting the scepter go, allowing it to float next to the bed.
"Of course, he did." Dorothy said sighing, "So, what information are you allowed to divulge?" she asked curiously.
"Technically none of it, but that's never really stopped me." Alex said smiling, "tomorrow, when you get to school, don't go to the classroom like you normally would, go to the auditorium, uncle alexander will be calling an assembly, with some very important news for everyone, and Ace, its impolite to listen at doors."
"Can you tell us what the assembly is going to be about?" Aislynn asked slipping into the room with eve at her heels.
"Unfortunately, no I can't." Alex said tapping the side of his nose, "I'll say it's really important though, because this is coming from the level of the suits."
"you said you knew something was going in front of the board for approval, which usually means money is involved somewhere" Aislynn said leaning against the door frame.
"Ace, that's generally higher ups summed up." Alex said looking at her, "But I can't say much more than that, again, technically none of us should know about it."
"well, it's definitely not an award ceremony, unless the school in general was nominated." Aislynn said firmly.
"Also, it's too early in the year for those." Dorothy added.
"probably something to do with funding as ace mentioned." Ozma said setting pockets down and pushing herself into a sitting position.
"again, can't say any more than that." Alex sighed, "You all will get to learn about it at tomorrows assembly."
Aislynn chose this moment to quietly slip out, and Em came in.
"Glinda just left, alex, do you know if you'll be going back to the city tonight?" Em asked curiously.
"Not entirely sure if we're both being completely honest." Came the voice of the beast from Dorothy's mirror.
"Did she make any mention of me?" Ozma asked curiously.
"Surprisingly, no." Em said looking at her, "do you plan on staying, your majesty?" she asked curiously.
"well, I wouldn't" was as far as Ozma got before dorothy cut her off.
"you wouldn't be imposing yourself on us, Ozma" Dorothy said taking her hand, "you deserve a proper break."
"a vacation, I think we can pass you off as a normal Kansas girl." Em said looking her over.
"I mean, it's not that hard, I just have to dress the way the other girls usually do." Ozma said giggling, "I've done it before, just leave out the poppy flower."
"well, they have been out of season for a few months now, Oz is really the only place you can find them blooming just about year-round." Em said,
"Not to mention that one large poppy field, which reminds me that one hasn't been addressed has it?" dorothy asked curiously
"not really, since it also runs along the river bank its rather difficult to keep it completely cut off." Ozma said, "and since no one can approach that area without being affected, save for maybe certain types of forest fairies…" she trailed off.
"the options on how to deal with it are rather low." Elphaba said appearing in the room carrying a duffle bag.
"Oh, Elphaba, did Glinda send you?" Ozma asked curiously.
"well, yes and no, I was already in Kansas." She said, "Elena is currently at Alex's house finishing up with Annabella's black eye."
"Mom wouldn't let dorothy heal it, and I assume Elena felt she couldn't leave it alone?" Alex asked curiously.
"Apparently not." Elphaba said sighing, "Anyways, Glinda packed you some outfits, stuff in the similar vain to what dorothy or ellie tend to wear."
"So, I can stay?" Ozma asked excitedly.
"A few days, till the weekend." She said, "I agree with Emily on this and I think most everyone in the palace would as well, you deserve a proper break, one that doesn't entail being trapped behind a barrier or something."
"And the people of Oz will understand as well, especially since you're with Oz's appointed protector." Alex said.
"Protectors" Ozma said putting an emphasis on the S "its plural since you're one as well."
"I mean she makes a fair point." Elphaba said looking at alex, "are you actually staying the night?" she asked curiously.
"I still don't know." Alex said shrugging, "it would be the first time we've been here in Kansas for an extended period since the beast became an issue."
"He hasn't really been much of an issue, though has he?" dorothy asked curiously.
"you'd be surprised." Came the voice of the beast.
"I'm sure we wouldn't." Dorothy said getting to her feet, walking to alex and kissing him "if you want, you and I can sleep out on the couch."
"that armchair was actually pretty comfy." Ozma said smiling, "I wouldn't mind sleeping on that."
"Ozma, you don't have…" alex looked at dorothy for a moment and trailed off. "wait aren't we a little old to be camping out in the living room anyways?" he asked a little teasingly.
The three of them shared a glance for a moment, the three of them shared a smile but none of them seemed to want to break the silence.
"Nope." They all eventually said in unison, "definitely not."
"shall I make some hot chocolate?" Em asked curiously.
"Oh, yes please." Ozma said smiling as she climbed off the bed.
Em smiled and left the room, heading back to the kitchen, followed by Elphaba. Dorothy smiled and walked over to her closet, going into it.
"would you two mind helping me with the extra blankets?" Dorothy asked curiously.
Both alex and Ozma walked over and grabbed a couple, soon they were all back into the living room. Elphaba was sat in front of the play pen, watching the triplets.
"having fun with the triplets?" alex asked curiously.
"it's interesting to watch them, since they don't say anything." Elphaba said, "they're prefect angels."
"nothing new" Dorothy said setting a few blankets on the couch.
"doesn't make it any less interesting." She said smiling.
They watched the triplets in silence for several minutes, and eventually Em did come out with a tray of cups of hot chocolate. Things continued in silence for a few minutes before Ozma set her cup down and broke the silence.
"Oh, what am I going to do tomorrow?" she asked curiously.
"Good question" Em said thinking about this, "henry and I are taking the triplets with us to the next town over, going shopping with Mrs. Teak." She said.
"and shopping is always boring, unless you know people, you aren't going to have any interesting conversation." Alex said, "I suppose you could always come to the school with us, I know my uncle won't mind." He suggested shrugging.
"you'd still have to come up with a decent explanation for her though." Elphaba said pointedly.
"Family friend, staying with us for a few days as a favor?" Aislynn suggested. "Not really a lie, not quite the truth, but it's but it's probably the neatest way of going around it."
"well, what's the alternative?" Elphaba asked curiously, "passing her off as a relative?"
"Feels too cliché though, doesn't it?" Alex asked with a chuckle.
"oh, I don't know, I wouldn't mind being a Gale or a Teak." Ozma said giggling "some say I'm occasionally breezy, but very solid."
Everyone shared a glance at this for a moment, and within a moment, were all laughing heartily at the terrible joke.
"Okay, I have to concede, that was terrible" Ozma said wheezing in her own laughter.
"but still hilarious." Aislynn said doing her best not to roll off her chair laughing.
"Ozma, joke aside, we all consider you family." Dorothy said wiping a tear of laughter from her face.
Ozma took a few moments to get her breath back before replying to that remark.
"did I ever have a reason to doubt that though?" she asks curiously.
"Are we allowed to lie?" Alex asked sarcastically.
"no." Ozma said back still giggling.
"Honestly Ozma, if I we had to go by measure, I'd say you have the biggest family in all of Oz." dorothy said smiling.
Meanwhile back in the palace.
"So, a small vacation? Seriously glin, what harm can it do?" Nessarose asked making the crystal ball go dark.
"Nessa, you'd be surprised the trouble they can get into over there." Glinda said searching her shelf and finding more of the pink potion.
"Oh, come on Glinda, if you're going to drink that, I'm going to contact your father and make you stay in Kansas as well." Nessa said storming over to her and plucking the bottle from her hand, "you really need to relax where they're all concerned." She said sternly.
"Nessa, really, we're going to play this game?" Glinda moaned, "we're not little girls anymore."
"And haven't been in a very long time." Madeline said from the doorway causing them to turn, "Long enough, as an answer to your next question." She added with a soft smile.
"usually, you content yourself with just appearing." Nessa said looking at her curiously.
"I don't always have to make an entrance, bad for conversation if we're all completely honest." She said with a teasing smile, "most of you, spend what, five seconds checking your pulse to ensure you still have one?" she asked sounding a little annoyed now.
"you're funneling away Dorothy's Irritation to not being let in on what's happening, aren't you?" Glinda asked looking her over.
"She can do that?" Nessa asked curiously, "funnel emotions?"
"when I want to, yes, but it takes a lot out of me to do so." She said taking the bottle from Nessarose.
"then why do it?" Nessa asked curiously.
"because I can, mostly." Madeline said with a shrug, before giggling "oh boy that was another bad one." She says cringing.
"Pun?" Glinda asked curiously.
"pun." Madeline nodded, "and I do have to side with Nessarose on this one, so long as she's with dorothy and alex she'll be perfectly safe."
"The scepter and the slippers both provide a good number of protections, combined dorothy is basically untouchable by most magic, alex and the beast also have a limited but powerful form of protection I believe." Nessa said thinking this over, "would have to ask Elphaba about that, though."
"well, that'll have to wait until she gets back with Elena, which reminds me, she should be done by now." Glinda said looking at the clock on the wall.
"So, what is going on at the school anyways, Glin?" Nessa asked curiously.
"I'll tell all of you in the morning." Glinda said tapping the side of her nose.
"Okay, so Annabella's eye is dealt with, should be completely healed by morning." Elena said as she and Elphaba appeared.
Elena reorganized her bag, giving it a little shake as snapped it shut.
"Well, that's one thing settled then." Glinda said taking the bottle from Madeline now that she was distracted.
"Glin, please tell me you aren't planning on drinking that?" Elphaba asked concerned.
"I already threatened to send her to Kansas as well." Nessa said.
"Elphie, please you know how I like to work." Glinda moaned.
"Glinda, if I seriously have to, I'll lock all your potion ingredients in my bedroom, and put a magic nullification charm on the entire palace so you can't get to it." Elphaba said a little seriously, a little playfully, while holding out her hand "you've become too dependent on certain aspects of magic."
"I have not." Glinda said rather childishly, before groaning and handing her the bottle. "Fine" She said dejectedly.
"Glin, seriously, if I have to put you under dreamless sleep and watch you, I will, you know full well I will as well so no excuses." Elphaba said sternly as Glinda made to argue.
Glinda looked at Elphaba and then sighed.
"I'm…" Elena said looking around. "just gonna go back to my duties, shall I? yes Elena very good idea" she said to herself before leaving the room.
Madeline watched her go and then left the room herself, leaving the room she found Polly's bedroom and found her sitting on her bed stringing some beads together with Alison.
"surprised to see you down here, Alison" She said.
"Oh, Hatter, thought you were going to check on Glinda." Alison said curiously.
"I did, went about as well as I could predicted, Glinda is still paranoid something could happen" Madeline said, shrugging it off. "I personally believe things will go smoothly."
"Ozma deserves a proper vacation, the closest she ever gets to proper breaks from her royal duties are her trips to Jinjur's and Mombi's, and her trips down to Pumpkinhead's field to make him a new head." Alison said.
"besides, I think Ozma always seems to have more fun with dorothy and alex around." Polly said, "though I'm personally surprised he's staying there."
"I think, considering the fact there's something going on at the school, that he feels somewhat obligated to be there." Madeline said once more shrugging, "but I really have no idea on that one."
"Well, if anything, he can provide extra added protection." Alison said sighing, "provided, well that the beast decides to behave."
"paranoia aside, the beast has actually been fairly quiet since they remerged." Madeline said sitting on the bed with them, "I think the two spend a lot of time discussing things when they have a moment to themselves."
"we wouldn't know, we rarely see him alone, he basically doesn't leave the room unless he's in the chambers with Ozma or taking a trip to gale hall." Polly said.
"I mean, they both find it incredibly dull around here without dorothy around." Madeline said sighing.
"True" both Polly and Alison said together.
"though admittedly I think that applies to all of us." Madeline added, "it is rather dull around here without her presence."
"which is odd, since you both look, and sound like her." Alison said, "not to mention can hear everything she's thinking."
"If I really wanted too, I could probably do the same trick Ellie and Glinda are able to do." Madeline said thinking about this, "I would just have to work out how."
"then she'd have next to no privacy whatsoever." Polly said sounding rather shocked.
"which is why I don't try to do it." Madeline said smiling, "I already invade her privacy enough, getting hit by her thoughts and memories, I can divert certain emotions from her too with a bit of effort."
"yes, you do seem a bit less excited than usual, dorothy annoyed with something?" Alison asked curiously.
"Oh, just not being let in on a secret, something is going on at the school that's going to be announced tomorrow." Madeline sighed, "Mrs. Gale, Alex, and Glinda are currently the only people at the Gale Farmhouse at the moment that know what's going on."
"And alex didn't tell her?" Polly asked sounding even more surprised.
"Said he by all rights, couldn't, that he wasn't technically supposed to know about it either." Madeline said looking up at the ceiling "though, it is a good point to make that since he's no longer a student there, that it technically isn't his business either."
"yet he's keeping it a secret?" Polly asked curiously.
"in fairness, he does have a lot of respect for his uncle, so it's not like we can fault him." Madeline said shrugging again, "and we all know how Mr. Alistair can get."
"true." Both Alison and Polly said sighing.
Madeline looked around a moment and came to a realization.
"Isn't Emma supposed to be here?" she asked checking under the bed.
"yes, she and Alyssa went to obtain some more crafting materials, which is why I'm here." Alison said smiling.
"I still don't get why stringing beads, amongst other crafts, is considered fun." Polly says knotting her string up and holding it up.
It looked like a necklace one might make at an arts and crafts camp in Kansas. Madeline reflected on this as she knew dorothy had at least one or two of them from time spent at the library.
"Honestly, I like watercolor art, so much more fun, if a bit drab, but oil paints can be so messy." Alison said holding hers up.
It did not look much different from Polly's she wondered for a moment if Alison had just been unconsciously copying Polly in this case.
"sure, watercolors are a bit bland in color, but you can make some pretty things with it done right." Madeline said smiling.
"Oh, Hatter, what brings you here?" Came Alyssa's voice as she and Emma came in with large boxes.
"Just checking in." She replied with a shrug, "I'll leave you all to get back to your work, shall I?" she asked quickly leaving the room.
She walked briskly until she got to the chambers where she found the scarecrow and the wizard going over a large blueprint which was now sprawled across the floor and being weighed down at its corners by tin man, wiser and lion.
"So, if we go by that route with the project, we should have the improved rainbow mover finished by next week." Scarecrow said drawing a little diagram out in the air with his finger.
"hello boys." Madeline said coming into the chambers.
"Oh, Madeline." Scarecrow said looking up at her, "how's Glinda doing?"
"three guesses and the first two don't count." Madeline said with a smile and a giggle.
"Worrying herself sick over Ozma staying in Kansas a few days?" Scarecrow asked curiously.
"she'll worry herself sick about everyone in Kansas given the chance, I mean, the imps were what?" Madeline asked looking around, "the second time, Kansas was breached by magical forces following her?"
"I believe so, Evanora never got the chance to send anything after dorothy while she was in Kansas, she just straight up tried to invade." Scarecrow said, "third if you count all of Glinda's family."
"Fair, but that isn't a breach that was and still is rather deliberate." Madeline said, "Even dorothy knows they are basically there to keep a closer eye on her."
"fair." Everyone said in unison at this.
"Well, surely nothing can happen to them when they're together?" The wizard asked curiously.
"its improbable, but not impossible, things just sort of happen with dorothy, truth be told." Madeline said sighing, "she never goes looking for trouble deliberately, it just sort of drops into her lap."
"Well, she does always carry the slippers in that satchel of hers, so worst-case scenario she can always put them on." Wiser suggested.
"Not exactly, she carries them when she believes she might need them, which more and more recently has become incredibly often." Madeline said smiling, "which you know, fair play, has been a fairly regular thing as of late."
"honestly, given the choice I think all of us would take having her around permanently, which given recent events is becoming more and more likely." Wiser said pushing his spectacles up his nose.
"okay, you three can get off the blueprint now, I think we're done planning this out for the evening." Scarecrow said.
Lion, tin man and wiser all stepped off the blueprint which immediately rolled itself up.
"Hopefully, this new one will be less likely to be broken." Lion said looking back at where the current one was stored.
"this last one was damaged beyond our scope deliberately; you can't help that." Tin man said, "but we still haven't gotten much of the why."
"enough of it to come to some conclusions though." Madeline said smiling, "well, I'll leave you boys to your discussions, I've got some projects of my own to finish." She said walking out of the chambers.
As she quickly returned to her room, she found Jack already asleep, Morris and Wendell engaged in another game of Chess, and a hat she had been working on where she had left it. She sighed.
"So, business as usual then?" Morris asked curiously.
"as usual as it can be, Ozma will be staying in Kansas a few days as a proper vacation, and things are going on in Kansas that even I'm unaware of." Madeline said sitting down at her table and getting back to work.
Back in Kansas.
Word was getting around quickly about something going on with the school, Ellie had called asking if any of them knew anything as both her father and her mother were being secretive, which bothered her. She was more bothered to learn that Alex was one of the first people to know and surprised that he had not immediately told them what was up. Betsy, trot, Zeb, and Donna were all in similar boats here. It was almost eight at night by the time things had managed to settle down. Yet there was a notable buzz of gossip hanging on the air over the town at this point.
at the gale Farmhouse, having moved the Coffee table to the other side of the room so it was out of the way, Ozma, Dorothy, and alex were now sat on the floor and having a discussion. Dorothy and Ozma had changed into nightgowns, Dorothy's a Purple-ish lilac color, Ozma's a bright Green. Alex had Opted for a Black T-shirt and the pajama pants he often wore. They were sat in triangle formation, both Ozma and Alex with their eyes on dorothy.
"it's amazing how fast gossip travels in this town." Alex said sighing, "you think everyone knows at this point?"
"Should we start taking bets now, or later?" Aislynn asked finally getting up from her book and starting back for her room.
"Really, Ace?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Sorry." She shouted from her room.
The three of them shared a glance for a moment, as the clock struck 8 the three of them sighed.
"We should probably look into getting to sleep." Alex said leaning over and kissing Dorothy's cheek.
"I'd say it's still too early, but we'll be up at the crack of dawn anyways." Dorothy said giggling.
"Well, I do have an idea of something we can do in the meantime." Ozma said teasingly.
"Oh?" was Dorothy's response.
She turned to look at alex.
"you hold her down, I tickle her mercilessly?" She asked with a giggle.
"Oh, come on you two, I said no double teaming." Dorothy moaned.
