Glinda stood in front of her mirror, rearranging her curls beneath the knitted white hat she had pulled down over her ears. When she was satisfied, she walked over to her desk, where her coat and bag sat waiting. It had yet to snow at Shiz—something the boys had started to complain about—but it was bitterly cold. Glinda buttoned her coat and slipped her bag over her shoulder, then pulled on her mittens and hurried out the door.

Boq was already sitting at their usual table in the library when she arrived. His arms were crossed on the table in front of him, his chin resting on his forearm, and he looked half-asleep.

"Being productive, I see," Glinda said with a giggle. Boq fluttered his fingers, acknowledging her.

"There's a reason I never studied agriculture," he muttered.

Glinda peered at the book in front of him, recognizing it as the one she had bought him a few weeks ago. "Technically, that's architecture."

"Well, I never studied that, either."

"You could take a break?" Glinda suggested, draping her coat across the back of her chair. "Don't you have class work to do?"

"Not in the mood," he mumbled. He sighed and sat up, propping his elbows on the table and rubbing his eyes with his knuckles. "This guy's comparing irrigation systems, and he's actually proposed a new model that combines the rest. He believes it would be the most efficient, and I think he's right, but I don't really get it. I can't picture it."

Glinda frowned and reached across the table, sliding the book around to read what Boq was talking about. After a moment or two, she pulled a sheet of paper and a pen from her bag.

"What are you doing?"

"Drawing it," she said. Her hand moved swiftly across the page. Boq tried to watch, but she was bent too low over the sketch. "Why irrigation?" she asked.

He leaned back in his chair. "Munchkinland is so dry, especially in the summer. Conserving water is vital to the farms. If we can find a way to improve what we already have, it'll help a lot."

"Could it save your parents' farm?"

"It could help," he said. "At this point, I'm not sure anything can really save it."

"Could secession?"

Boq stared at her, but she never raised her head from the paper. "Maybe. But it could also destroy it."

Glinda finally looked up at him, meeting his eyes for just a second before she glanced down at the book and pointed to a line. "What does this mean?"

He explained it to her and she went back to the sketch. After a few more minutes she leaned back and turned the page toward him. Together they worked through the structure, jotting down notes from the book and labeling different parts. After a while Boq took the paper and tucked it into the book, flipping it shut.

"Thank you," he said. "I really think this could help."

"Good."

"You…" Boq trailed off, and Glinda raised her eyebrows, waiting. "You really should have studied architecture. You're good at it."

She smiled, a bit sadly. "Thanks. I wish… In a different world, maybe I would have."

"A different world where Morrible doesn't exist?" Boq asked.

The corners of her mouth twitched into a less sad smile. "Instead we have a stern yet kindhearted old headmistress, who offers students cookies when they've had a rough day."

"Dillamond would still be alive," Boq sighed, "And we would have multiple Animal and Munchkin professors."

"Elphaba would still be here, and she would have spent most of this semester terrorizing the first years who stared at her," Glinda said wistfully. "I'd be studying architecture, and she'd be competing with you for top marks in life sciences and history."

"After graduation I'd get a job teaching, probably near Shiz. You and Elphie would get an apartment, maybe nearby."

"Fiyero would become leader of his people, and whenever he made visits to the Emerald City, we would all go and crash at Crope and Tibbett's and spend the weekend together."

"Oz. Imagine them living together, wreaking havoc in the Emerald City. Maybe they'd own a bar or something."

Glinda giggled. "And there would be no evil Wizard, no creepy Morrible, no one loses their rights, and we all live happily ever after, the end."

"The land of what might have been," Boq said softly. "It's nice to think about sometimes, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it is." Glinda turned to look out the window. "Maybe that's why some religions believe in reincarnation. The idea that we all get another chance, that maybe the next life will be better, makes it all a little easier."

Boq was quiet for a moment. He followed her gaze out the window. "Now you're getting all deep on me, Miss Glinda."

Glinda smiled. She tucked her hair behind her ear and shifted, reaching for her bag. "I guess that's a sign that I should get to work."

"Wait, no, that means I have to do homework."

Glinda grinned at him and began pulling out her textbooks.

Crope, Tibbett, and Fiyero were already at a table when she and Boq arrived at dinner that night. Tibbett was in the middle, holding a newspaper open, and they were all leaning in to read. Fiyero looked up and saw Glinda and Boq approaching. He quickly shoved Tibbett's arm down, batting at him until he folded the paper and set it on his lap, out of sight.

"What's going on?" Glinda asked as she and Boq sat down. "What's with the paper?"

"Just a newspaper," Tibbett said. "My father sends them once in a while."

"Emerald City news?" Boq asked, somewhat warily.

"It's nothing," said Crope. "Boring stuff, mostly. There's an entire section on how so-and-so went to the theatre and what kind of shoes his wife was wearing."

"Sounds boring," Glinda said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I can totally see why you'd try to hide it from us."

Fiyero blushed. "We're not—"

"Oh, just show us the paper," Boq said impatiently, holding his hand out. Reluctantly, Tibbett unfolded it and handed it across the table.

Glinda leaned to read over his shoulder. Her eyes widened at the picture, even before she read the headline.

"That's…"

Crope nodded a little. "Our favorite green girl is making headlines."

"Wicked Witch of the West?" Boq asked. "Where in Oz did they get that?"

"Emerald City journalists are a creative bunch," Tibbett said.

"She robbed a bank?" Boq was incredulous.

"Not just any bank," said Crope. "Emerald Gold Towers is personally endorsed by the Wizard."

"There's no way she's working alone," Glinda said, reading further. "This is ridiculous. Violent? This isn't Elphie." She was getting worked up, and she bit her lip hard to keep it from trembling.

"I guarantee that none of this is completely accurate," Crope said gently, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. "They're just trying to discredit her. Someone from the palace is probably paying them and telling them what to say. It's a great way to manipulate public opinion."

Glinda ducked her head, turning away from the paper. Oz, Elphie, what are you doing? she thought.

"Is this the first time she's been in the papers?" Fiyero asked quietly.

"I doubt it," said Boq. "Listen to this. 'Sightings of the Witch started as early as this past fall, though they were mostly contained to the lower town. Claims were usually unreported or ignored, due to the oddity of the Witch's verdigris.'"

"They also talk about other crimes she might be responsible for," Tibbett said. "My guess is it started with the bank thing, but they're probably doing their best to make her into a public enemy now."

Glinda put her face in her hands and leaned against the table. She was starting to feel sick.

"Glinda?"

"Research." Her voice was muffled by her hands. "This all started with research."

The boys all looked at each other, shifting around with something close to guilt on their faces.

"Did she know?" Glinda went on. "Back then, when she started, did she know it would come to this?"

Boq shook his head. "How could she?"

Yes, how could she, Glinda thought, but it sounded more like an accusation in her head. "I don't feel good," she mumbled.

"I'll get you some water," Fiyero said, already standing.

Tibbett reached out and took the paper, refolding it and placing it back on his lap. "I'm worried, too, but she can take care of herself."

Of course she could, but in the middle of a war? With a target painted on her back? She took a breath and sat up slowly, dragging her hands down her face. "It's the Wizard," she said quietly. "He's trying to make it more dangerous for her."

"Yep," said Fiyero, returning. "That's the Wizard for you."

She mumbled a thank you as he handed her a cup of water, but she didn't drink. Instead, she wrapped her hands around the glass, cooling them, then pressed them to her forehead.

"But when has that ever stopped her before?" Crope asked. "I mean, when has that even slowed her down?"

"When she had to leave," Glinda muttered. She flinched at the bitterness in her voice. "Sorry."

"No, you're right," said Boq. "Elphaba is a lot of things, but she's in way over her head here."

Tibbett shifted. "But Crope has a point. She's always been in way over her head, and she's always kept fighting."

"Exactly," Glinda said. "That's what I'm worried about."

Elphaba closed her eyes and listened hard.

"Soldiers, I think," Malky said. She opened an eye to see his ears twitch. "On both sides of the alley."

A shadow passed over them, and Peric glided silently down. "They're just patrolling," he said quietly.

Elphaba heard footsteps approaching. She pulled her hat down and her cloak up and pressed herself against the wall. Malky backed up next to her, and Peric stood in front of him, spreading his wings just enough that the Cat was covered. Elphaba tucked her hand beneath her cloak and clenched her fist until it was glowing slightly. The three of them tensed, waiting, as men appeared at either end of the alleyway.

The soldiers kept walking. A couple glanced down the alley, but apparently they saw nothing in the shadows, for they just looked ahead and continued on. The footsteps faded, then disappeared altogether, and Elphaba sighed and shook out her hand to get rid of the magic.

"We're getting pretty good at that," Peric said, smirking. He hopped back to give Malky some space. "Looks like you don't need to dye your fur, after all."

Malky lifted a paw and cleaned it. "I would sooner turn myself over to the Gale Force," he said calmly. Peric snorted.

"They're moving out of the middle districts and into the lower," said Elphaba. She leaned back against the wall. "We can't go back to the corn exchange for a while. What do we do?"

Malky glanced up and down the alley. "We can lay low until it's safe to go back. Or," he said, his eyes glinting, "we're close to a few businesses. We can wreak some havoc."

"Oh, please, let's wreak havoc" said Peric. "Tonight's job was too easy. We need something else."

"What's nearby?" Elphaba asked Malky.

He shrugged. "The usual. Some shops, a couple restaurants." He tilted his head and flicked his tail. "I think there's a printing press a few blocks away."

Elphaba tilted her head toward him. "Who owns it?"

"I'm not sure."

"Who cares?" Peric asked, hopping forward. "All the papers in this city are eager for a story about the Witch. Let's go give them one."

Malky looked at Elphaba. "It's up to you, Fae."

She shrugged. "Lead the way."

Time was moving slowly in the Emerald City. Malky spent more and more time with them at the corn exchange, and Peric and Elphaba had, for the most part, moved past the tension that was between them when she first returned to the city. He still watched her, concerned, when he thought she wasn't looking, but Elphaba was content to pretend she didn't notice. After all, she couldn't entirely blame him. She had thrown herself into their work. She did what they were told without asking questions. She was tough and quick and clever. She spent most of their free time practicing magic or flying. She was good, they all were, and they were performing their jobs flawlessly. Even tonight—breaking into a nobleman's stables and freeing the Horses there—they had completed the mission with ease. There wasn't a single problem until they ran into the patrols on their way back home.

Elphaba followed Malky through the streets. Every paper in the city seemed to be focused on her these days. She was sort of amused by it. Sure, she had to be a bit more careful if she went out during the day, but other than that there was no damage done. The only thing that bothered her was the Wizard. He was behind all of it, she knew, but what she didn't know was why. What was he gaining by making her a public figure? She wondered if it was just a plan gone wrong, but something told her that wasn't the case. There was more to this. Maybe this was only the first step.

"Fae?"

Elphaba shook her head and stepped forward, unlocking the door that Malky and Peric were waiting at. They didn't actually do much damage once inside. Peric found a stack of flyers about Elphaba—inserts for the next day's papers—and slashed through them. Malky followed Elphaba to the back of the room, where she was studying a chalkboard covered in story ideas.

"Anything interesting?" he asked, sitting beside her. He tilted his head as she grabbed a piece of paper and started copying something down.

"See that list in the corner?" She pointed to the top right corner of the board with her pen.

"'Emerald City's Top Ten Businesses of the Year,'" Malky read. "Yeah, that'll work."

Peric hopped over. "Sounds like a list of new targets to me."

Elphaba folded her paper and slipped it into her bag. "We can take it back to the underground, see what they think. But for now…" She stepped up to the board and ran her sleeve across it, erasing everything. She grabbed a piece of chalk and wrote across it in big, sloppy letters: Breaking News: The Wizard Lies, Spreads Corruption throughout Oz.

Malky stood and stretched. "Now there's a story I'd read."

"You're not going to sign it?" Peric asked, disappointed. Elphaba shook her head.

"Don't worry. They'll figure out who did it. Besides, according to them, every crime in the city is the work of the Witch."

Peric clicked his beak, amused. "Think the patrols are gone by now?"

"Probably," said Malky. "Let's go home."

Elphaba couldn't sleep that day, so she lay in bed, spinning a dirty green penny through the air above her hand. Peric was up in his nest, his head tucked beneath a wing. Malky was in his own corner, curled up in a short cardboard box. Elphaba rose to her elbows and watched him, smirking. His whiskers and tail always twitched as he dreamed, and while she wouldn't dare tell him about it, it was amusing nonetheless.

The others woke up sometime in the afternoon. Malky took the list Elphaba had written down the night before and left for the underground, while Peric and Elphaba ate a little and tried to find a way to waste their time. They ended up playing a makeshift game of catch in the air. There wasn't much room in the corn exchange, so they circled each other tightly, weaving in and out of stacks of crates, pulling off awkward dives and turns to catch the stick they threw back and forth. The game ended when Elphaba tried to throw without holding on to her broom. She tipped to the side, nearly falling off, causing the stick to go wildly off to the side toward the window. Malky appeared at that moment and, smirking, leapt through the air to catch it. He landed gracefully, his tail swishing back and forth. Elphaba, gripping tightly with both hands now, glided down to meet him and Peric on the floor.

"Smooth, Fae."

"Hey, I'm working on it. Not all of us were born with wings."

"You're both crazy," Malky interrupted. "I'm fine with heights, but why anyone would want to soar through the air is beyond me."

Elphaba smirked. "So, what's the news? Are we working tonight?"

"We are," he said. "There's a circus coming to town. Supposedly they're going to be performing for many of the palace officials in a couple of days."

"Will the Wizard be there?" Peric asked. Elphaba narrowed her eyes.

Malky flicked an ear. "We don't know. But that's not the point. Right now their caravan is south of us, travelling. They're scheduled to arrive in the city by noon tomorrow. We don't want them to get that far."

"Okay," said Elphaba. "What are we talking about? Some caged Animals, maybe a lockbox or two?"

"An escort of guards and a carriage full of weaponry," said Malky. "The circus is bad, of course, but it's also a disguise for the Gale Force's latest shipment. That's our main target."

"And we're attacking them while they're still outside the city?" Peric asked.

"Yes. They'll camp a few miles out tonight."

Elphaba glanced up at the window. "We'll sneak out after nightfall. Is the escort made of Gale Force, or just soldiers?"

"A mix, probably," Malky said. "And the owners of the circus will be armed as well. We have our work cut out for us this time."

"Good," said Peric as Elphaba nodded. "We've been waiting for a challenge."

It was late when they left the corn exchange that night—so late that it was, in fact, early. Peric took off, flying high enough that he was out of sight, but Elphaba stayed on the ground with Malky. Sneaking through the lower districts wasn't actually that hard. Elphaba's cloak and hat hid her skin, and she hobbled down the street, leaning heavily on her broom. Beside her, Malky put on a blank expression, making his eyes seem dull and unintelligent. No doubt they were a strange pair, but there were stranger things in the Emerald City. They made it out without any incident.

The circus wasn't hard to locate, even though it was still a couple miles outside the city walls. Wagons and carriages were arranged in a circle and silhouetted by a handful of camp fires and a dozen or so torches held by guards. Elphaba and Malky made their way to the camp, meeting Peric behind a hill just a couple hundred feet away.

"Any openings?" Elphaba asked.

"On the far side," said Peric. "Three of the soldiers are playing cards. Getting past them will be easy."

"Once we're in, we free the Animals first," Malky said. "It'll be chaos, but we need to keep the guards' attention on us once it starts, to make sure they get out safely."

Elphaba nodded. "After we get them out, what happens?"

"Find the wagon that has the shipment."

"Are we stealing it or destroying it?" Peric asked.

"It doesn't matter," said Malky. "We just have to make sure the Gale Force doesn't get it."

Elphaba looked at the camp. "Malky, you and I can slip past the guards. Peric, you cover us from above."

"Got it."

"Ready?" Malky asked. He stood and stretched, sticking his claws out. Peric unfurled his wings and clicked his beak.

"See you when hell breaks loose," he said, jumping into the air. Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"Let's go."

She and Malky crept around to the far side of the camp. Just like Peric had said, three guards were sitting together on boxes, their torches flickering in the dirt beside them, their posts completely abandoned for whatever card game they were playing. Elphaba and Malky waited for one of them to win the round, causing a small uproar among the other two guards, then slipped past them unnoticed.

"It's a good thing they're getting paid," Elphaba muttered as they ducked behind a carriage. Malky snickered, then sat still, sniffing.

"This way," he said, padding forward. Elphaba shifted her grip on her broom and followed. They moved silently through the camp, stopping to hide behind wagons whenever someone passed by. Once or twice, Elphaba felt or saw a shadow glide over them, but she didn't bother looking up. She wouldn't be able to see Peric, anyway.

Malky led them to a cluster of wagons packed with cages. Elphaba wrinkled her nose and clenched her fists. Two Bears were locked up together. A group of Monkeys were cuffed to one of the wagons. Birds of every color and size were crammed in crates. A baby Elephant was tethered to a nearby post. A Tiger lay curled up in her cage, and she looked up at their approach.

"Who are you?" the Tiger's voice was low and smooth.

"No one," Elphaba said. She stepped forward and pressed her fingers to the cage's lock.

"Someone's coming," hissed Malky. Elphaba stepped back, looked over her shoulder, then spread her hands out. She closed her eyes and focused, and a moment later there was an echoing click.

All of the cages sprang open. The Monkeys' handcuffs fell loose and the cord tying the Elephant in place snapped. No one moved.

"You're freeing us?" The Elephant's voice shook.

"Only if you hurry," said Malky. "Fae, come on."

Elphaba met the Elephant's eyes and gave a tiny nod before turning and following Malky toward the sound of approaching footsteps. They rounded a corner and nearly ran into a man and a woman, both dressed in their nightgowns. The man held a torch and the woman was wielding a short sword. The four of them froze in their tracks, studying each other.

"Who are you?" the man growled.

"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," Elphaba drawled. Malky lowered his head, his ears flattening. Behind them, they heard the rattle and rustle of the Animals escaping.

The woman grabbed the man's elbow. "Our animals. They're escaping!"

"Those Animals belong to no one," Malky snarled. The woman pointed her sword at him, though her hand shook as he bristled.

"This is our circus. They belong to us."

"Oh, this is your circus?" Elphaba asked. She looked around the camp. "Well, in that case…" She spun her broom around and swung out, hitting the man in the head. Malky leapt forward, claws out, and knocked the woman to the ground. She screamed as she dropped her sword. Elphaba punched the man in the jaw and he slumped to the ground, out cold. Next to her, the woman fell silent.

"Shall we?" Malky asked, jumping to the ground. Elphaba watched the woman's chest rise and fall for a moment, still breathing.

"Yeah. Where do you think—"

"Over here!" A guard appeared a couple wagons away. He spotted them and raised his gun, but at that moment Peric swooped down, landing on his shoulders and knocking him to the ground.

"Everyone escaped safely," he said, flying over to them. "The Bears and the Tiger took a little detour on the way out, and the north side of the camp is clear of guards."

"Do you know where the shipment of weapons is?" Elphaba asked.

"There are a lot of guards that way," Peric said, nodding to their left. "I'm guessing that's our target."

They heard more footsteps running toward them. Malky lowered his head and backed up, nearly disappearing beneath one of the carriages. "Split up," he growled.

Peric leapt up and vanished into the air. Elphaba grit her teeth and turned, dashing down the way Peric had pointed.

She ducked behind a wagon wheel and peered beneath. Two guards were leaning against the other side of the wagon. Carefully, she climbed to her feet and pressed her palm against the wood. A surge of energy passed through her and the wagon was shoved to the side, taking the guards with it. A few feet behind her, she heard a hiss and another soldier cry out.

"That way! Over there!"

More guards ran toward her, this time in Gale Force uniforms. Elphaba smirked and swung her hand, knocking them back with a blast of fire.

Something moved behind her, and she spun around, grabbing whoever it was and pinning them to the side of a carriage.

"Please!"

It was a Munchkinlander. Elphaba's eyes widened and she eased her grip. "What are you doing here? Do you work here?"

He visibly swallowed. "Th-they hired us," he stammered. "They promised us food a-and shelter and good wages to send home."

Elphaba scoffed. "I'm sure they kept that promise." The Munchkinlander just looked scared. She sighed and let go of him. "Look, you need to get out of here. And not to the city. Do you know what's happening in Munchkinland?"

"Th-the secession."

"Gillikin is about to be the worst place in the world for you. Do you have a place to go to in Munchkinland?"

He nodded. "Most of us were taken from our hometowns to work here."

"Go," said Elphaba. "Tell the others to get out of here. Go back to Munchkinland. You'll be safer there." Hopefully.

He nodded again and turned to leave, but she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"You never saw me here, you understand?" she said.

"Yes. Of course."

Elphaba let him go and he hurried off, disappearing to another side of camp. She shook her head, trying to refocus her thoughts.

"Fae!"

She felt something sharp prick at her shoulders, then she was being shoved to the ground. A gunshot rang out, thundering in her ears. Peric hopped off her and flew at the soldier who had fired the gun. Elphaba rolled to her feet and swung her arm, sending another guard flying.

Malky appeared beside her, fighting with a Gale Force officer. The soldier swung a blade at him, but Malky ducked beneath it and moved forward, clawing at the man's legs. He shouted and fell, and Malky pounced on his head, making sure he stayed down.

Peric flew over and landed beside her.

"Thanks for the take down," she said.

He clicked his beak. "Be more careful, will you? I like it when you're alive."

"Right, got it."

More soldiers and Gale Force appeared, and just like that they were moving again. Malky leapt on top of a carriage, then pounced on a pair of soldiers from above. Elphaba summoned her magic and knocked over another wagon, pinning three guards to the ground. Peric flew forward and knocked an officer down. A woman rushed forward, raising her sword, but he turned and snapped at her hands, forcing her to drop the weapon.

A Gale Force man lifted his gun, aiming at Peric. The Bird looked up at him, eyes widening, but then he smirked. Elphaba grabbed the man, wrenching the gun from his grasp. She wrapped an arm around his neck and leaned in close.

"You're transporting weapons," she said quietly. "Where are they?"

"Why in Oz would I tell you?" he growled. He swung behind him, but Elphaba twisted and shoved him against a wagon. She stepped close and looked him in the eyes.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked.

His eyes widened and sweat gathered at his brow. He nodded slowly. "The Witch."

Her lips twitched. "Good. Now let me ask again. Where is the shipment?"

He pressed his lips together. Elphaba raised her hand and summoned her flames. The soldier shrank back against the wagon, and his eyes darted to the side. Elphaba followed his gaze and grinned.

"Excellent. Thank you." She shoved him away. "That wagon, there," she said, pointing it out to the other two.

"We're still outnumbered here," said Malky. "Let's just destroy them and get out."

"How?" Peric asked.

"Is there gunpowder in there?" Elphaba asked. Malky hopped into the wagon and peered inside.

"Yeah."

"Then I've got this." She raised her arm and the flames jumped forward, catching the wagon's side.

"I'm out," said Peric, already leaping into the air.

"Want a lift?" Elphaba asked Malky, swinging onto her broom.

"No way." He turned and ran, and Elphaba kicked off the ground, following. A few seconds later they heard the explosion.

Peric flew up to her, his eyes glinting. "Now that was fun."

Elphaba laughed. Below, Malky was a white streak on the dark ground, keeping an even pace with them. Elphaba closed her eyes and sat up on her broom. The wind rushed around and through her, making her feel, just for a moment, invincible.