Title: One if by Land, Two if by Sky

Author: Aerohead

Email: in my profile

Website: In my profile

Pairing: Fiyero/Elphaba, Fiyero/Glinda, Glinda/OC, OC/OC

Rating: PG13

Disclaimer/Dedication: For L. Frank Baum, Gregory Maguire, Stephen Schwartz, and Winnie Holtzman who own this idea that I'm extending. Thank you for giving me the first part. This is also for everyone in the OibLTibS RPG, so Sheika belongs to F-kun, Destin belongs to Tori, Riley belongs to Nessy, and Kade and Noelani belong to Cree.

Warning: spoiler for the ending of the musical Wicked, but that's pretty much about it.

Genre: Romance, adventure (book/play amalgamation)

Summary: Seventeen years after the "death" of the Wicked Witch of the West, a group of Shiz students must come to terms with their differences in order to help inform Oz about the truth behind the lies. If they can work together.

Author's Notes: Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. With school, rehearsals, guitar lessons, chorus, homework (believe me, it's a whole different ball game from school, especially without a study hall), ED, and DH4, I'm getting behind in my fics, both original and this. And this chapter has singing in it again! Woo! Hehe; I had to bring it back, sorry ya'll. Another Cole Porter song, because I 3 him. Copyright of this song is 1932, and it's been stuck in my head since I last listened to "De-Lovely", so there you go. And finally, this chapter's much shorter than the other ones, but next chapter is the confrontation with Diggs. wink

Chapter Eleven: Parent's Day

Miss Greyling was more than happy to have two students for her class of competent magical background. The two girls sat in the small room, looking at the objects in front of them. "All of these are essential to your magical training; a wand, a seer's ball, and, of course, a standard book of spells!" She beamed. Fabala poked the plastic-looking wand, before looking at her instructor.

"Miss Greyling? I don't need a wand, I can do magic without it."

Miss Greyling sighed. "Well, just try it, for me, Miss Thropp." She said. Fabala shrugged, nodding. The bell rang, and Miss Greyling sighed, handing the girls their items. "Please study hard, girls!" She called.

Nissa looked back at the room, before leaning over to Fabala. "That woman's insane!"

Fabala nodded. "But she's better than Morrible was, according to mother." That sparked something in Nissa's brain, and she grabbed Fabala's arm.

"Today's parent's day!" she said in a sing-song voice. Fabala just blinked at her, and she rolled her eyes. "That means I'll get to see mother today!"
Fabala blinked. "What about our...plans?" she asked.

She shrugged. "Don't worry about them! We'll still put them into action, but just after our parents leave."

Fabala laughed. "You actually think Mother would come out of Kiamo Ko?" she asked.

Nissa made a face. "Good point." She looked at Fabala. "But you can always be with my Mother!"

Fabala smiled, nodding. Someone grabbed her arm, and she turned, smiling at Aran. "Miss me?" he asked.

She cocked her head. "And who are you, again?" she teased.

He poked her lightly, before wrapping a sisterly arm around Nissa, also. "So, Miss Glinda is coming to parent's day?"

Nissa nodded happily. Aran and Fabala sent each other quick looks, before Fabala caught onto what Aran was getting at, smiling to herself. Aran caught the look, and nodded surreptitiously. She pushed him out of the way, draping a casual arm over Nissa's shoulder. The other girl looked from the tattooed arm up to Fabala's face, which was totally void of any emotion. "Nissie, do you think you're mother would be willing to help us in our little plot?"

Nissa's eyes darted to the ground, and she coughed lightly. "Um...maybe, but I don't want to upset her political position."

"Nissa!" cried Fabala, flinging her hair in the air. "If we don't get that man out of Oz, the Vinkus, and Ugabu – preferably dead in the desert or across it into Boboland – then you're mother's job is in more jeopardy than if she didn't help us!"

"Oh..." Fabala and Aran waited. "I'll talk to her about it, but she'll probably say no." She perked up, seeing a pink dress in the crowd. "You two could hang around with Mother and me during the presentations, you know." She turned, smiling serenely.

"I'll come with you." Aran said. "But Fabala has something to do."

"Sadly, I can't believe you talked me into this." Fabala said. Nissa looked at Aran, confused. Aran just sent a wink in Fabala's direction, before pulling Nissa away.

Fabala sighed, taking her hair down. "As a member of the upper class of your tribe, you don't have to keep your hair in the customary braid, am I correct, Miss Thropp?" Fabala turned, blue eyes flashing.

The slightly lighter Scrow young man with the swirling tattoos lowered his eyes when Fabala turned to him. She smiled lightly, shaking her head. "Why aren't you with your family, Sheika?"

"Why, does my presence bother you?"

"No! It's just that I have to get ready for something Aran put me up to."

Sheika smiled lightly, before nodding. "My father is still in the Vinkus, he will never come to the Parent's Night. I don't think I'd want him here, anyway. But it's what the gods' will, and I am their servant."

Fabala rolled her eyes, but motioned the other Winkie to follow her. "I don't understand your fixation with the gods," she motioned to the habit, "but I respect it for you." She smiled, and he nodded.

"I'm going to find Kade and Noelani – they have promised to introduce me to the Munchkins they call family. I really want to know how Master Kade has a human father." Sheika shook his head.

"So would I, but I'm late. Send my regards!" Sheika nodded, and Fabala slipped into the hall the presentations were in.

"Miss Thropp!" Miss Greyling called. Fabala turned, and nodded to the middle-aged woman. "You're on right after Master Brimly." She put a hand on the dark girl's shoulder. "Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked quietly. "You can back out now, if you want."

"I won't back out." Fabala said sternly, but she sent her Sorcery teacher a quick, though fake, smile.

Brimly, a jaunty Gillikin, finished his piano piece, and walked off. "Good luck, Winkie, you'll need it."

Before she could hex the young man, Miss Greyling ushered her onstage. She froze as she reached the microphone.

You have to get used to public speaking, Fae. Please don't hate me for doing this. Fabala blanched at the remembrance of Aran's words last night. Then she swallowed her pride – and fear, since they went hand in hand when it came to saying anything in front of a crowd of less than five people – and opened her mouth.

"Like the beat beat beat of the tom-tom

When the jungle shadows fall

Like the tick tick tick of the stately clock

As it stands against the wall

Like the drip drip drip of the raindrops

When the summer shower is through

So a voice within me keeps repeating you you you..."

Fabala scanned the crowd, before she saw the glistening pink...abomination, really, not dress, that Glinda was wearing. She looked next to her, where Lord Bromley sat, and frowned. Then she caught Nissa and Aran sitting right in front of her, and nearly started. She kept plowing through the song, though, keeping eye-contact with her sister and swain, to make sure she didn't embarrass herself.

"Night and day you are the one

Only you beneath the moon or under the sun

Whether near me, or far

It's no matter darling where you are.

I think of you

Day and night, night and day, why is it so

That this longing for you follows wherever I go

In the roaring traffic's boom

In the silence of my room

I think of you.

There's an oh such a hungry yearning burning inside of me

And this torment won't be through

Until you let me spend my life making love to you

Day and night, night and day."

Letting out a heavy, thankful sigh, Fabala slipped off the stage, ignoring the applause. Brimly looked positively livid. "Beginner's luck." He grumbled.

Fabala shrugged. "Whatever you say." She condescended, the tone of voice used learnt from living with Nissa for two weeks.

She slinked into the audience of the presentation, barely hearing Miss Greyling's announcement of the next performer. She heard a chair scrape and sat down, glad that there was an empty one where she was going. Aran smiled coyly, sitting down in the chair he had pulled up for himself. Nissa touched Fabala's hand, and she jerked back to the land of the living. "Are you all right?"

"Never have me do that again!"

"But you've done it fine these past times."

Aran shook his head. "Fabala's scared of talking in front of crowds."

"Yes, well, my brother was always the boisterous one, and look what happened to him when he asked a group of men where they were going." She said fondly, playing with her hair. Nissa nodded in understanding, eyes downcast, before she smiled, trying to change the subject.

"Miss Fabala, you'll never guess what The Good Witch of the North has decided to do."

"What?" Fabala asked bluntly, not into guessing games. Nissa pouted, but continued.

"She has decided that she will stay at Shiz for another day or so to visit her old haunts, including the old pub Mr. Diggs works at!" She smiled as she watched the realization dawn on Fabala's face.

"Really?" she asked. When Nissa nodded, Fabala leaned across the table and hugged her half-sister fiercely. Nissa squealed; Aran chuckled.