On the way back to Oz Fiyero realized that there was a much more cheerful air about the group. Fiyero registered with some surprise that it was now dawn, and their little adventure had brought them through into the next day. The forest that had seemed so ominous and terrifying last night now looked much different in the early morning light. Now the others did not shiver uncontrollably as they journeyed, but walked along with a spring in their step. Dorothy was practically skipping as her little dog ran around at her heels.
However, Fiyero felt strangely isolated from the group now. He supposed it was because his cause for joy was so much different than that of the other three. They were celebrating the fact that the Wicked Witch was dead, while he was rejoicing over the fact that she was alive. He wondered vaguely how the others would react if they ever found out his secret, but his thoughts were interrupted as they finally reached the edge of the forest. They had journeyed all the way back through the forest without stopping to rest. Fiyero was surprised that Dorothy hadn't passed out at their feet by now, but the young girl didn't even seem the least bit fatigued. In fact she appeared to be wound like a top. Fiyero assumed it was only a matter of time before she crashed.
They traveled back to the city quickly, still running on adrenaline from their recent experience. They were welcomed back with cheers and shouts of exultation. Apparently word had already spread about what had happened, though Fiyero was not quite sure how.
Looking up, Fiyero spotted Glinda perched high above the crowd. Even from here he could tell that something was deeply troubling her. He assumed that she too had heard the news of Elphaba's death. He was glad that Glinda at least had the heart to mourn her friend's death, even though as far as he knew the two had not been speaking at the time Elphaba's 'melting' had occurred. After a few moments, Glinda stood and addressed the crowd.
"Fellow Ozians, there have been rumors flying around about the death of the Wicked Witch of the West," Glinda began. The crowd immediately fell silent, and it seemed as though every single Ozian was holding his or her breath, "I myself have been to the Witch's castle, and I can safely assure you that these rumors are indeed true. The Wicked Witch of the West is dead!"
Glinda's announcement was met with shouts of joy, though Fiyero noted that she seemed anything but joyous herself. He wondered for a moment why Glinda did nothing to dispel the lies about Elphaba. He supposed it was just Glinda being Glinda. She would never do anything that would blemish her shining reputation. It probably wouldn't have done much good anyway, but Fiyero still thought it would have been nice if she'd said something in Elphaba's defense instead of standing there and smiling stupidly. After a few moments he turned from Glinda and returned his attention to the joyous crowd. He supposed some things would never change.
Eventually the four of them were able to squeeze through the celebrating crowd and make their way back toward the Wizard's palace, more confident now that they had the Witch's broomstick in hand. This time as they reached the palace's emerald doors they were sent in immediately. As they traveled through the stone passageway Fiyero recalled that the Wizard had promised to grant their requests if they brought him the broomstick. Fiyero imagined that his fellow travelers would come away from this meeting feeling rather disappointed.
As they entered the Wizard's chamber the lights on the mechanical head flared once more, but this time Dorothy did not seem afraid. Broomstick in hand, she marched straight up to the giant contraption and laid the broomstick down in front of it.
"We've brought you the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West," she said excitedly, looking up at the giant head expectantly, "You'll help us now won't you?"
"Perhaps," came the Wizard's booming voice, "I need to think about it. Come back tomorrow."
Fiyero felt his temper flare at the Wizard's comment. He'd put the poor girl through all that trauma, and now he wasn't even going to help her? Fiyero knew it was simply because the Wizard couldn't help her, but that was no excuse to send the girl away empty handed.
"What?" Dorothy shouted, beginning to panic as the lights on the mechanical head started to dim, "No! You promised!"
In the midst of everything that was taking place, no one had bothered to keep an eye on Toto. Suddenly the small mutt darted forward and ran toward a curtain on the opposite side of the room. Grasping the end of the fabric in his teeth, the small dog pulled the curtain back.
There sat the Wizard of Oz. The real Wizard of Oz, not the mechanical head he hid behind. However, it appeared that he did not realize that he had been exposed as he continued to speak into a microphone that was placed in front of him, the loud voice echoing his words, "You should be glad I'm only making you wait one day, instead of twenty years!"
The Wizard seemed to feel the other's eyes on the back of his head, because he turned around suddenly, his eyes growing wide as he realized he was sitting in plain sight. He tried to pull the curtain back around himself, but it was too late, the damage had been done. Rushing forward Dorothy pulled it back once more, and the Wizard looked up at her guiltily.
"Who are you?" she asked, amazed, though Fiyero was quite sure she already knew the answer.
"I am the Great and Powerful," he began, speaking into the microphone so that his voice was echoed by the giant head. However, the end of his sentence trailed off pathetically as he finished it off in his normal voice, "Wizard of Oz…"
He stepped out from behind the curtain and Dorothy looked appalled. "Oh, you're a very bad man," she chided, wagging her finger at him.
"No my dear, I'm a very good man!" he said, trying to defend himself. It took every ounce of Fiyero's self restraint not to laugh bitterly at that comment. The Wizard was nothing but a manipulative coward who hid behind his own lies. Fiyero wondered briefly what would happen to Dorothy when this situation was over; because it was obvious the Wizard wasn't going to be doing anything to help the poor girl out.
Returning to reality, Fiyero realized that he'd missed the rest of the conversation, and that the Wizard was now rummaging through a cardboard box on the other side of the room. After a few moments he rejoined them, his arms laden down with some rather strange knickknacks he'd dug out of the box. He made a quick speech to Fiyero, Boq and the Lion about what it meant to have brains, heart and courage, before he presented Fiyero with a diploma, Boq with a heart shaped clock, and the lion with a bronze metal that said 'courage' in large capital letters. Fiyero looked at the diploma disinterestedly, wondering vaguely if this was just a bunch of junk the Wizard had saved from high school.
Fiyero looked on disgustedly as Boq and the Lion thanked the Wizard profusely for the gifts. Fiyero couldn't believe what he was hearing. He wanted to shake Boq and yell 'You idiot, that's a clock, not a heart. Sure it would look lovely on your mantle, but you still can't love!' And what good did a diploma or a medal of courage do if the receivers hadn't earned the awards themselves? This was ridiculous! He was supposed to be the brainless one, but this crowd could sure fool him.
However, Fiyero was pulled from his angry musing when the Wizard turned to Dorothy. "Now my dear, I shall help you to return home." Fiyero cocked an eyebrow, not quite believing what he was hearing. What was the Wizard trying to pull?
Dorothy didn't quite seem to buy it either. "But are you powerful enough to do that?" she asked skeptically. Fiyero bit back a comment about how the Wizard was not powerful enough to tie his own shoes.
The Wizard ignored Dorothy's comment. "The only way to get you home, is for me to take you there myself!" he remarked.
Fiyero looked up at this. Did this mean what he thought it did? Was the Wizard really leaving? That didn't make any sense. Why would the most powerful man in Oz leave just to bring some random farm girl back to her home? Fiyero knew there was more to the story than that; this act was far too selfless for the Wizard of Oz.
But the Wizard did seem serious about going through with it. Calling his guards into the room, he ordered them to inflate his hot air balloon and set it up in the center of the town square. The guards seemed confused by this request, but obediently set off to fulfill it none the less. The Wizard explained the plan to them. He was going to take Dorothy back to Kansas in his hot air balloon. Apparently he was from Kansas as well, and was longing to return home. Fiyero knew this was a blatant lie, but he said nothing, because the Wizard leaving with Dorothy was killing two birds with one stone as far as he was concerned.
After a few more minutes one of the guards returned to tell the Wizard that the preparations were nearly complete. The Wizard thanked the guard and then, smiling jovially, waved the rest of them out of the palace and into the courtyard to where the hot air balloon now stood proud and tall, gleaming in the afternoon sunlight.
Thanks for reading.
S.P.