"Explain again why your eyes are pink," Elphaba requested, suppressing yet another bout of cackling laughter.
"Talor drugged me," Galinda defended. "He gave me laughing juice, which made me feel all giggly and behave like a child. Then that creep asked what I wanted done to my body…"
"So you instructed him to make all the alterations you wanted as a three year old," the green witch finished.
"Exactly," her friend exclaimed.
"Your childhood fantasies were quite detailed," Elphaba observed wryly. Galinda couldn't get enough of her sarcasm; she'd gone so long without it.
"I suppose they were," the blonde admitted. "Speaking of which; why haven't you looked in the mirror yet? Don't you want to see…well…you know."
"I'm scared, after seeing how much they changed you," Elphaba murmured.
"Scared of what?"
"Scared that I won't be able to recognize myself."
"I'm the one with sparkling eyelashes," Galinda pointed out, earning a lopsided smile from her solemn friend. Elphaba took a deep breath and moved to stand before the small room's vanity. What she saw in the mirror was a conformed person; someone modeled to the Wizard' exact taste. A faceless pawn in the Emerald City's sea of sheep-like humanity.
Frankly it disgusted her. Elphaba closed her eyes and a few angry tears slipped out.
"I can't believe this was what I dreamed of all my life," she whispered, fists clenching. Then, gradually but growing faster and faster, a thin glow of hazy, viridian magic spread across the witch's body. It covered her head to toe, like a giant sheath of thick, glittery fabric.
Galinda soon found that she too was encased in this strange, subconscious spell. Her entire body felt oddly loose and moldable. It was pleasant but weird enough to make the blonde squirm. In the next instant every swathe of dazzling magic dissipated. Galinda blinked a pair of suddenly bleary eyes at her friend.
Elphaba was standing in front of the mirror gazing at a striking, emerald complexioned girl. She looked at her reflection, green as a fresh, spring leaf, and smiled. "It's good to be back."
/
Fiyero hoped that the girls wouldn't stay in the City much longer. They'd been gone for three days and he couldn't handle the suspense much longer. What if they'd been kidnapped or mugged or…The Winkie brought his train of thought to a halt right there. Imagining horrible fates wouldn't help anything. Maybe I should go in after them, he thought for the third time that day. It couldn't be too hard to scale the Emerald City's walls. With a little luck…
"Hello Prince Tiggular," greeted a sickeningly familiar voice. He recognized it from several trips to the headmistress's office at Shiz.
"What are you doing here?" Fiyero demanded, as Madame Morrible entered the copse of trees he'd been hiding in.
"I've got some business to attend to," she replied icily. With a nod of the fish-like woman's head two guards rushed forward to lift bind Fiyero's hands.
"What are you doing?" he demanded, struggling. "I'm a prince! My parents…"
"Will never know anything's amiss," Morrible hissed. "You'll find I have more power than you think."
/
"How in Oz's name did you change us back?" Galinda demanded of her friend. She still couldn't get over the spectacular magic Elphaba was capable of. In a few seconds she'd undone hours of beautification magic.
"I'm sorry," the green girl teased. "Did you like having pink eyes?"
"No," Galinda pouted. "But being taller was nice. Do you think you could…"
"Oh no," Elphaba cried in mock horror. "Please don't get any ideas about magical makeovers. You've seen the trouble beautification magic can result in."
"It was the mind control magic that caused problems silly," the blonde giggled.
"Still," Elphaba insisted. "No more physical alterations. Ever."
"Fine," her friend agreed. "We should leave the City soon. Fiyero's probably worried sick about us." The green girl colored violently at this comment.
"Do you think he still…I mean…with my skin…"
"You are adorable when you're self conscious," Galinda commented. "Fiyero loved you before the operation and he'll still love you now."
"L..love?" Elphaba stuttered, clearly stunned by the scale of her friend's explanation.
"Yes love," the blonde repeated smugly. "I'm certain of it. Besides, you've already kissed him twice. Or did you forget that?"
"No," the witch murmured, blushing again. "I could never forget that."
/
"What do you want with me?" Fiyero demanded of his captors.
"We want absolutely nothing with you," Madame Morrible clarified, pacing aggressive circles around her prisoner. They were in the Emerald Palace's small prison. It was conveniently located near a special chamber for operations that required more than usual finesse. "However your friend Elphaba would be very helpful to my cause. When she applied for beautification magic it was an astounding piece of good luck. I hoped that the mind alterations would make it easier for me to mold her into an obedient disciple in my sorcery class."
"You piece of filth," the Winkie spat. Morrible continued, unabated.
"Unfortunately you and that silly little blonde had to intervene," the headmistress growled. "Then the Wizard got all sentimental on me and let them go. I thought he was stronger than that. Well now I'm taking things into my own hands. You're going to be my bait and lure all in one."
"What do you mean?" Fiyero did not like where this was going.
"I believe Miss Thropp is quite infatuated with you," Morrible explained. "When she receives news of your capture that stubborn girl will try and rescue you. Then you'll lead her into an ambush."
"I won't lead her anywhere," the Winkie roared defiantly.
"I'm pretty sure you will," Madame Morrible snickered. "My friend Talor has been perfecting a new mind spell that can't be reversed. Ever. Your appearance has provided me with a wonderful testing opportunity."
/
As Elphaba followed Galinda out of the inn her eyes suddenly grew wide. "Yero's in danger."