A/N: Wow, I updated this slowly. I think I'm going to switch the POV around between Fala and Elphaba. Also, remember Elphaba never visited Nessa like she did in the book.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Liir and I had never been to Munchkinland before. Well, we technically had, but we couldn't remember it. But I knew it deep in me, like I knew the other world I explored in my dreams.

"I don't want to talk to my father," Mother groaned. She still refers to Frex as her father even though he's not. They have issues. I guess our whole family sort of does. My father, for example, who was married before he had an affair with my mother. Then he and his wife apparently divorced (the mention of which sends Mother muttering "Demon children," under her breath for no real reason) and she then married a man from the village near the castle, but they died of pneumonia soon after. Her sisters seized their chance, and, inspired by some romance novel or something, ran off to the Emerald City, with their nephews and niece in tow.

It's weird.

And then there's Mother's family. My extended family. Her mother, Melena, my grandmother, died in childbirth when my uncle Shell was born. My mother hates him.

He came to visit us once, when I was twelve. He made low comments on my and Liir's existence and our parents and informed my mother that he was working at Southstairs, at which point she threw him out of the house. Which made me laugh, but that's beside the point.

A large, wrought-iron, ivy-covered gate came into view. Sounds of hammering and destruction came from within. Mother began to move faster.

"What the hell is going on back there?" she demanded. A traditionally short Munchkin came to the gate.

"Your status no longer grants you any special rights here," he informed her as he opened the gate to let us in.

"Oh, no longer? Is that why the last two times I was here I was nearly arrested upon trying to enter the gates?" she wanted to know. The Munchkin fidgeted with his necktie. Mother made an irritated noise and strode past him. Exchanging glances with Liir, I followed, and so did Father and Liir. The Munchkin looked angry, but (wisely) decided against saying anything. Mother led us upstairs.

"Fala, there, Liir, there, we're here, bathroom's down the hall, thank you," she said briskly, pulling Father into another room. Liir and I glanced at each other.

"Are they…?" Liir asked.

"Ew. I don't think so," I answered. I was right- a few moments later we heard a slap and Mother stormed out of the room muttering about men and one-track minds and where the hell was she supposed to figure out what was going on?

Liir and I smothered our giggles and went downstairs to explore.

…

Elphaba

I stormed downstairs and scattered a group of Munchkins defacing an arbor outside. All of a sudden, Glinda appeared and grabbed me around the shoulders, sobbing theatrically.

"Glinda, Glinda, calm down," I said. "Really. Calm down. Breathe, Glinda, breathe."

She gasped and heaved for a moment before obeying.

"Oh, Elphie, I was there right after. It was horrible."

I closed my eyes.

"Can we not?"

"I'm sorry, Elphie…"

"I know. It's not your fault. It's-"

"There's something I have to tell you."

"What?"

"The house that killed her- there was a girl in it. And a dog."

I took a moment to digest this. A girl…a girl…in a flying house? What the hell?

"Not a Dog?" I clarified.

"No, definitely not," Glinda assured me. "And she seemed to think it was exceedingly strange when people tried to talk to him, so I don't know if there are Animals, wherever it is she comes from."

"Did she say where that was?" I asked.

"Yes…somewhere called Kansas." Glinda furrowed her brows. "Is that in Quadling Country?"

I groaned. "No, it's not." Something struck me. "Where was she going?"

"I sent her to speak with the Wizard, and I gave her Nessie's enchanted shoes," said Glinda, confusing me completely.

"Enchanted shoes?" I asked.

"Oh!" Glinda giggled nervously. "I forgot to tell you. Yes, I enchanted them so she could have enough balance to move around on her own."

"She could…she could walk?" I gasped. Glinda looked pleased with herself.

"Yes, it's the best and most difficult piece of sorcery I've ever done," said Glinda happily. "And it worked, well, it worked like a charm."

"Ha," I said dryly, looking over the graffiti on the garden walls. Most of it had to do with the shoes. "You shouldn't have done that, Glinda," I said, ignoring the old swelling of jealousy. He's not your father. "Look at this. All of this, it's about the shoes. They've been…either demonized or idolized, or both. They mean more than they are to this entire province- er, country. The Wizard will figure this out, and you sent her to him, with those shoes?"

Glinda wasn't getting it; she wasn't a Munchkinlander and she wasn't a freedom fighter emotionally invested in rebellion.

"So?" she asked. "So he'll bring Munchkinland back to the rest of Oz, so what?"

I groaned, shook my hair loose from its clips, and ran my fingers through it irritatedly.

"That's not a good thing, Glinda. You know what he's like, you know what he's done, and you sent some defenseless child running into his arms?"

Glinda looked stricken now. "I'm sorry, Elphie! I didn't know what else to do! You know they do say he'll give you your heart's desire- if of course you can get in to see him!"

"I know, Glinda, I know," I sighed. "And to be far, this little girl isn't me. She never joined a terrorist group to rebel against him; she's not his illegitimate daughter, he shouldn't have anything against her."

"Maybe he'll help her," Glinda suggested. I looked up into the purpling sky, the twilight I remembered from my early childhood and the summers here later.

"Everything has its price," I said. "His help won't be for free."