"Elphie! Wake up! Can you hear me? Wake up, Elphie!"
Once again, Elphaba was woken up by Glinda knocking energetically on her door. Still half-asleep, she stumbled to open, and was almost knocked to the ground by the energy with which her friend muscled into the room.
"Glin—"
"Look!" Glinda said impatiently, waving a newspaper in Elphaba's face. "Look at this!"
Elphaba blinked, trying to adapt to the situation, reached for the paper and glanced at the first page.
THINGS GO APE IN THE EMERALD CITY, the headline said, quickly making her sober up and run her eyes through the lead. Residents of the Emerald City have experienced a truly tumultuous night as roughly three dozen of crazed winged monkeys infested the streets, wreaking havoc, causing fear and chaos. Although there were no casualties, many residents have had their housing and property destroyed by the frenzied animals. The information we have received from the Wizard's Press Secretariat as of yet can hardly be considered satisfactory. A proper response is yet to be issued (more on page 8).
Elphaba stared at the page, bewildered.
"What—how?" she stuttered.
"I have no idea," Glinda muttered back.
"This is not good, Glinda. I mean, it's good that they've escaped, but this article… This is the clearest anti-Animal message I've since… well, since Fiyero and I—"
"I know," Glinda interrupted, putting her hand on Elphaba's shoulders and squeezing it comfortingly. "But we can deal with that. The Glinda way, remember? Now, let's go and find out how this could have happened, alright?"
•••
Once they walked past the guards into the seemingly empty throne room, the two friends were able to hear muffled voices coming from behind the enormous mechanical golden head. As they approached it, they started to make out pieces of a hushed yet agitated conversation between the Wizard and Madame Morrible.
"…what we still don't know is why they…"
"…it was a mistake to try it so soon…"
"…highly doubt the spell had anything to do with…"
"…miracle nobody got mauled after opening that cage…"
"…just a minor setback, nothing to get too anxious—"
"Oh, miss Glinda, miss Elphaba!"
The Wizard's tone changed immediately once he realized the new presence in the room.
"How happy I am to see you!" he announced jovially, opening his arms (though the warning glance he shot Morrible did not escape Elphaba's attention). "I do hope you were not all too disturbed by last night's… incident."
"We've only heard about it this morning," Glinda said, putting on her best ingenue voice. "How dreadful! Thank Oz that no one got hurt! And the poor Monkeys, I hate to think what they must have been through; those poor creatures! How could such a horrendible thing have happened?"
The Wizard cleared his throat.
"We are not entirely certain. After the two of you left, Madame Morrible suggested opening the Monkeys enclosure – just to check on them; maybe take a closer look at those beautiful wings. However, we did not take into account how agitated the poor Animals have become. They must not have taken well to the transformation…"
Seeing his disapproving glance in Morrible's direction, Elphaba sensed an opportunity.
"Oh, Madame!" she gasped, running up to Morrible and clasping her hand. "You don't think I am to blame for this disaster, do you? That would be devastating! Oh no, I am, aren't I? I am so sorry I disappointed you and His Ozness… Oh, I knew this was a terrible idea…"
"Settle down, my child. You have certainly done nothing wrong!" Morrible shrieked. Despite the reassuring message, her eyebrows creased in a way that was almost threatening; and Elphaba felt a twinkle of triumph shine through the massive wave of guilt she'd been drowning in since the day before.
"As I was telling His Ozness, all this is just a trifle incident," continued Morrible. "I shall make my press announcement this afternoon and all the damage will be contained—"
"No." The Wizard's voice sounded surprisingly stern. "Madame, although I am far from blaming miss Elphaba for what happened, I do believe you might have miscalculated in assessing the current level of her magical abilities. For the time being, your main focus shall be to help her sharpen and perfect those abilities, and properly supervise her as she does so."
"But, Your Ozness, what about the press—"
"Miss Glinda will make the press announcement in your stead. I do believe her presence could prove more calming to our frightened citizens, and think it's time we started taking advantage of her unique qualities."
Madame Morrible's face resembled a wax figure. A disagreeable and discontented wax figure. A vein began pulsating on her temple as she uttered through gritted teeth, her voice sickeningly sweet:
"As Your Ozness pleases."
•••
THANK GOODNESS!
As the turn of the year approaches, the Ozians have another reason to rejoicify, and it is in relation to none other than Oz's most recent favorite, Miss Glinda Upland. Glinda, a native Gillikinese of the Upper Uplands, has now become the head spokesperson for our Wonderful Wizard. Filling the position previously occupied by former Shiz headmistress Morgana Morrible, Miss Glinda seems to have taken a new approach to the job, showing us all a new, more approachable face of His Ozness. Certainly none of us will ever forget her first public appearance, mere weeks ago, as she delivered a statement regarding the peculiar case of the flying Monkeys. Glinda's touching speech comforted us in the time of need, inspiring unity with the victims and compassion for the poor, unfortunate Animals, afflicted with an unknown darkness.
It is, therefore, hardly surprising – but no less delightful – that our dear Glinda is soon to receive an official place at the Wizard's right hand. In celebration, on the last evening of the month, a grand ball will be held at the Wizard's Palace in the Emerald City. Since then, Miss Glinda Upland of the Upper Uplands will officially be known as Her Grace, Glinda the Good. Thus, fellow Ozians – let us rejoicify!