Thanks so much for the reviews guys! You definitely made my day. Just keep up the good work! ;D I hope you like the chapter!

Disclaimer: Wicked belongs to Stephen Schwartz and Gregory Maguire...not me. But I can still dream, right?

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"Maybe you should tell me Elphaba's whole story," Ayenna suggested, still not entirely convinced.

"Yes, yes, of course," Glinda said, a little impatiently, "Ok, Elphaba was born in Munchkinland to Frexspar and Melon. No, Meleny? No. Mel, Mel, Melena! That's it. Yes, Frexspar and Melena Thropp. There was one problem with her though. She was green. About the time her little sister, Nessarose, was born, her family moved to Quadling Country. Unfortunately, her sister had a problem too. She had no arms, and she depended on others to do just about everything. Melena died in childbirth with Elphaba's little brother. What was his name? I think it started with an 'S.' It was vaguely turtle-like…"

"Shell?" Ayenna suggested, caught up in the story.

"Yes! That was it. Shell. Anywho, when she was of age, Elphaba went to Shiz University. That was when we met. We ended up being roommates. To begin with, we…well, we hated each other. But, given some time, our friendship grew and we became inseparable. The Wizard heard of her prowess in sorcery and he summoned for her. We both went. But, there was an issue with some monkeys, Elphaba was always very pro-Animal, and she managed to get the Wizard's guards after us. She went on the run and started liberating Animals, but she wasn't too busy to steal the man that I was engaged to be married to. Fiyero Tiggular, the Winkie Prince. We had a bit of a tiff over that and some shoes that had belonged to Nessa. You see, Nessa was killed in a freak storm, and Elphaba wanted her shoes, but at the time, I did not know she cared so much about them, and I gave them away. Soon after, Elphaba was killed by a young girl, Dorothy. But I guess she wasn't really killed after all. I suppose we can ask how she swung that when we see her."

"Wait, she was killed by…Dorothy? Are you saying that my mother, Elphaba, was…was the Wicked Witch of the West!" Ayenna asked, almost hysterical.

"Well, she wasn't 'Wicked.' Just misunderstood. But yes, that is what people called her," Glinda said.

"Oh, may the Unnamed God be with me! It turns out I have parents, but they are the Wicked Witch of the West and a prince of the godforsaken Vinkus? Do you have any other revelations for me? Was the Wicked Witch of the East my sister?" Ayenna asked, completely hysterical by now. An unfamiliar fury was growing in her stomach and she was aware that the lights in the room were beginning to flicker uncontrollably.

"Your aunt, actually," Glinda said, eyeing the flickering lights, "Do you believe in the Unnamed God?"

"My aunt! Oh, I suppose she was Nessarose!"

"Yes, but you haven't answered my question. Do you believe in the Unnamed God?"

"What? Oh, no. I just needed a higher being to call on. I am not religious," Ayenna said, smoldering at the obvious change in subject.

"You are an atheist, then?"

"Yes, I suppose I am."

"You really are just like your mother," Glinda said with a small smile.

"What, I'm wicked?" Ayenna asked angrily.

"No. I've already told you, she wasn't wicked. The Wizard was the one who said she was wicked. He was the only true wicked person in this story."

"Oh, now the Wizard is wicked? What are you going to tell me next, that monkeys fly?"

"Well…" Glinda started.

"No. Just don't," Ayenna said.

"I know you are upset," Glinda said, keeping up her maddening air of calm, "But please believe me, your mother was one of the least selfish, best people I ever knew. She taught me a lot; you should feel proud to be her daughter. Do not believe public opinion. They called your mother wicked because they did not understand her. They feared her differences, and fear leads to hate. Here, I think you should have these. They were your mother's."

Ayenna took the proffered items from Glinda's hands. One was a black, pointed hat. The other was a small green bottle that said "Miracle Elix" on the front. She took a deep breath and calmed herself slowly, "You're right. I flew off the handle. I'm sorry." She couldn't believe how close she had come to losing complete control of herself and her powers.

"That is quite all right, dear. Now come, we are going to the Glikkus to find her and Fiyero!"

"We're going to the Glikkus…together?" Ayenna asked, surprised at the eagerness of the public figure to leave her cushy palace to go trekking across the wilderness.

"Yes, of course," Glinda said impatiently, "But, come, dear, you must pack! There's not a moment to lose. I already have all my bags waiting in a coach in the street."

Oh. I suppose she isn't ready to leave all of her cushiness behind, thought Ayenna to herself. Aloud she said, "Glinda, don't you think it would be better if we went on foot for most of the way? After all, we don't want to attract attention, and a royal carriage is sure to do just that. Besides, I doubt that any carriage will be able to traverse the desolate terrain of the Glikkus."

Glinda looked slightly miffed, and Ayenna knew she was worried about what she would do with her bags if they walked.

"Well, yes, I suppose you're right, but the important thing is that we leave right now!" Glinda exclaimed.

Ayenna had wished for parents all her life, but now that she was being offered a chance to go find them, she was frightened, especially now that she knew who they were.

Ayenna found herself wildly making excuses, "But, I can't leave now! I…I have a job! Yes, I have to tell my boss where I am going! The earliest possible I could leave would be tomorrow after work."

After a few moments of arguing, Glinda gave in.

"Ok, but you can't tell your boss where or why you are going, and we will leave as soon as you tell him."

Ayenna agreed to that and tried to bid Glinda goodbye.

"Don't be ridiculous! I've already informed my dignitaries that I am taking an indefinite leave of absence. They would grow more suspicious then they already are if I showed back up and then left again in the morning," Glinda said.

"So you are staying here?" Ayenna asked, hoping for a negative answer.

"Yes."

Ayenna sighed inwardly. The blonde was starting to get on her nerves, "Who will run Oz while you are gone?"

"Oh, I don't actually run the country. I have people that do that. I am just the figurehead, really. I promote the laws they pass and keep people from panicking," Glinda told her, as if this should be obvious.

Ayenna, who had always thought that Glinda was the sole ruler of Oz, was shocked, but not as shocked as she would have been before she talked to the blonde.

"Let's go to sleep. We will have a big day ahead of us," Glinda said. She went to the bathroom, put on some pink pajamas, and laid down on one side of Ayenna's bed. Ayenna got onto the other side, but she slid as far to the edge as she could go without falling off. It felt odd to share a bed with anyone, much less Oz's most glamorous figurehead.

In a few moments, Ayenna could tell that the Good Witch had fallen asleep, from her deep, regular breathing. However, Ayenna couldn't seem to close her eyes. She kept thinking about all that she had found out today. She had parents. And it appeared that they loved her, but one of them was a prince and the other was a witch. She was going all the way to the Glikkus to find them. After a while, her jubilation, anger, questions, confusion, and any mix of feelings succumbed to sleep and she plunged into the only world she knew she could fit in: her dreams.