Chapter 9- The Truth, The Wizard

"Fellow Ozians," Glinda started. She looked at the crowd, wondering how to begin. She knew exactly what she wanted to say, but seeing all these faces looking back at her, she was left speechless. It was something that never happened to her.

She told her servants the truth the week before. They were shocked and terrified at first, but Glinda assured them that there was nothing to be afraid of. She told them everything about the transformation spell and ordered them to treat Elphaba with respect. The ones that dared talking to the Wicked Witch herself found out that she wasn't at all wicked. She was really nice, actually. Glinda knew that now, it would be impossible to prevent the rumors about Elphaba's return from spreading within the Emerald city. She knew she had to say something to the citizens of Oz. The only problem was- what to tell them?

"Fellow Ozians," she started again. "I know that some of you heard some rumors lately, and as the head of this city I've decided to talk to you personally about-"

"Is it true that she is alive? The Wicked Witch?" asked one man.

"I thought that she was melted! Is it possible she came back from the dead to haunt us?" from another woman.

"It's a fact that witches never die, especially the wicked ones! I said it when she was melted by this girl, no-one listened!"

"Death to the wicked!" someone yelled. The crowd roared.

Glinda closed her eyes in frustration. This was not going well. Perhaps it was time to be more assertive. "Wait!" she yelled. It worked. Everyone looked at her, shocked. Glinda had never yelled before. "Look…" she said, doing her best to keep calm, but fears and doubts were overpowering her now. What if they wouldn't want to hear it? What if they wouldn't believe? What if they would really kill her this time? She thought that she was able to change them in these two years, but apparently it wasn't that simple.

"There are two things that I despise," she said. "I hate secrets, and I hate lies. Two years ago… someone lied to you. I want to tell you the truth now; the whole truth, about the Wicked Witch of the West." The silence among the crowd was piercing. Everyone looked at Glinda, holding their breath. "The truth is… that she was my friend."

People gasped. Glinda the Good, a friend of the Wicked Witch? It seemed impossible, inconceivable.

"Her name is Elphaba, and we knew each other when we were both students at Shiz University. We were roommates. I knew her best, and as someone who knew her best let me tell you, Elphaba Thropp is the last person to whom you can call Wicked. Now someone told you that she was dangerous, and you believed it simply because you didn't know her. You had no reason to think otherwise. Two years ago, we all heard how Dorothy succeeded in killing the Wicked Witch of the West. She did it because the Wizard, our great Wizard of Oz, told her to do it, because Elphaba knew too much. Before she was… melted… I promised her I wouldn't try to clear her name. And as much as I hate secrets, I kept this one because I felt I owed it to her. She was… is… my best friend," she stopped for a moment to catch with her breath, savoring the silence. It was better than calls of protest. She thought it was a good sign.

"Over a month ago, I found out that Elphaba didn't die that night, in the castle in Kiamo-Ko." No-one spoke. It didn't seem like such a good sign now, but she decided to just keep on speaking. "For the past two years, Elphaba has lived outside of the Emerald City. A month ago she came back here to ask for my help."

That did it. The audience exploded. "She is here?"

"She is alive?"

"She won't be after I'll finish with her!" someone called out. Some men cheered.

"You won't do anything to her because I said so!" Glinda declared, mustering her most authoritative voice. "Hear me out. I'm not done yet. Before I learned that she was alive, a man came to my castle and asked for my help. You all remember him as the Tin Man, one of Dorothy's companions in her journey to Elphaba's castle. He asked me to transform him into a man again and I said I'd try, even though I wasn't sure I'd be able to help him. However, with Elphaba's help, I've succeeded… we've succeeded… to transform him into a man again."

The citizens of Oz stared at Boq, who joined Glinda on the podium. Gasps of shock were heard all over. Was it possible to transform someone, to make him human again? Was it possible that Elphaba… the Wicked Witch of the West… did this?

"How can we know it is him?" someone asked, accompanied by several murmurs of agreement.

"Well, that's a good point, fellow, but you just have to trust my word," Boq replied. Some recognized his voice. It was him. The whisper was quickly spread among the crowds, accompanied with gasps of awe and amazement.

"Is it even possible?"

"I believe that everything is possible, if you want it hard enough," Glinda said softly. "Everything is possible; even forgiveness," she added, looking at Boq. He nodded and squeezed her hand for support. It was the right thing to say. She turned her attention back to the audience, taking a deep breath for the next step. The final step. "So now I ask you to remember everything I've said, especially this last thing about forgiveness. I want you to control your anger, your bitterness, your rage, your desire for revenge. My fellow Ozians, I'm proud to introduce to you the new Wizard of Oz… Miss Elphaba Thropp."

Soft murmur went through the crowd. Elphaba… the new Wizard? They all watched her as she moved slowly to face them on the podium. No-one dared speaking. They all stared at the skinny green woman that stood proudly on the podium, looking more beautiful than ever. It was exactly were she belonged. And somehow, at that very moment, everyone knew that.

"Elphaba and I are going to work together, side by side, in order to create better life, safer life, for all of you," Glinda continued, taking Elphaba's hand in hers. "I hope that from this day on, our life here in Oz will be better. It's up to you as much as it's up to us. We are all in this together. And it will work too, if you want it hard enough. I know it will work. Thank you," she ended, blowing a kiss towards the crowd.

The silence continued for a moment, then it was replaced by the deafening cheers and applause of the citizens of Oz. Glinda smiled in satisfaction and waved, still holding Elphaba's hand in her other hand. She still had a thing for speeches, thank Oz. Everyone called out her name. After some hesitation, they started calling out Elphaba's name too.

Glinda looked at Elphaba. She looked stunned to hear it. She had her doubts about this meeting with the citizens of Oz when they went over Glinda's speech several nights before. But this… it seemed none of them was expecting this reaction. A sigh of relief escaped her without her even being aware of it. No one wanted to go after her after all. She was going to be the next Wizard of Oz.

She remembered the old stupid dream she used to have back then at Shiz. I swear someday there'll be a celebration throughout Oz that's all to do with me.In the most amazing and unexpected way, that dream suddenly came true.

Something burnt her skin, and only then she realized that she was crying.